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DOCTOK   TOM 


•The^><^o. 


DOCTOR    TOM 

THE  CORONER  OF  BRETT 


BY 

JOHN   WILLIAMS   STREETER 

AUTHOR  OF  "THB  FAX  OF  THK  LAND" 


THE   MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

LONDON:  MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  Ltd. 

1904 

All  rightt  rea*rvtd 


COPTBIOHT,  1904, 

bt  the  macmillan  company. 

Set  up  and  electrotyped.    Published  September,  1904. 


Nodsooti  9"iM 

J.  8.  Cnahlng  &  Co.  —  Benirtck  &  Smith  Oo. 

Koiwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


TO 

WILLIAM   KIRBY   SIDLEY 

'BSSitfj  a  Itg^teU  canBle  fjabe  5  wardjtB  fjim" 


2138461 


CONTENTS 


I.  The  Vendetta        .... 

11.  Sis  Thompson 

III.  Ruth  Raymond       .... 

IV.  Tom  Hendricks  to  Jack  Raymond 
V.  The  Hickory  Fire 

VI.  Jack  Raymond  to  Tom  Hendricks 

VII.  Tom  Hendricks  to  Jack  Raymond 

Vin.  Tom  Hendricks  to  Jack  Raymond 

IX.  Ruth  goes  to  the  Mountains    . 

X.  Doctor  Tom  safes  the  Trail    . 

XI.  Tom  captures  the  Sheriff 

Xn.  The  County  Town 

XIII.  The  Winning  of  the  Major 

XIV.  Doctor  Tom  makes  Friends 
XV.  Ruth  Raymond  to  Tom  Hendricks 

XVI.  The  Convention     .... 

XVII.  The  Sheriff  gives  Notice  . 

XVIII.  Poker  Ethics 

XTX.  Doctor  Tom  to  Miss  Ruth 

XX.  Miss  Raymond  to  Doctor  Hendricks 

XXI.  Billy  takes  his  Medicine   . 

XXII.  Ruth  returns  to  the  Mountains 

XXIII.  The  Foray 

XXIV.  The  Short  Trail  .... 
XXV.  The  Election  .... 

XXVI.  Doctor  Tom  does  not  find  himself 

vii 


1 

10 

21 

27 

35 

40 

43 

50 

57 

68 

75 

83 

88 

95 

102 

106 

113 

115 

123 

126 

128 

136 

147 

158 

162 

167 


viii  CONTENTS 

PAGE 
CnAPTXB 

XXVn.    The  Right  of  Way 175 

XXVIII.    Love  your  Enemies 183 

XXIX.    The  Physiciax 193 

XXX.    The  Little  Deputy 202 

XXXI.    The  Big  Fight 209 

XXXn.    The  Inquest 221 

XXXIII.  The  Amber  Light 233 

XXXIV.  The  Reformation 239 

XXXV.    The  Price 250 

270 

Epilogue *"" 


DOCTOR   TOM 


DOCTOE  TOM 
CHAPTER   I 

THE   VENDETTA 

«  Why  do  you  say  that,  Uncle  Jeff  ?  " 
« 'Cause  every  Mac  in  the  mountins  has  camped 
on  my  trail  for  more'n  thirty  year.  The  McCalls, 
McCandlesses,  McMahons,  McBrides,  and  every 
other  Scotch-Irish  gang,  and  all  their  kin  by 
blood,  marriage,  or  'doption,  have  been  dead  set 
agin  we-uns  ever  since  the  wah.  My  uncle  had 
a  company  of  mountin  Bucktails  on  the  Union 
side  when  most  of  the  mountins  were  on  the 
other  side.  The  Thompson  kin  and  the  Reardon 
kin,  and  the  Joyces,  and  the  Clays,  made  the 
company,  and  we-uns  got  through  the  wah  all 
right,  but  the  other  side  made  the  mountins 
scaldin'  hot  when  we-all  got  back." 

«  Was  there  a  personal  feud  before  the  war  ?  " 
"Not  that  I  ever  heard  tell  of.      To  be  cer- 
tain, there  was  a  little  shootin'  once  in  a  while ; 
but  it  was  all  regular  and  friendly-like,  and  no 
hard  feelin'." 

«  What  started  this  vendetta.  Uncle  Jeff  ?  " 
« If  you  mean  this  wah  between  the  Macs  and 

B  1 


* 


2  DOCTOR  TOM 

we-all,  I  s'pose  it  was  the  sudden  goin'  off  of 
Brother  George's  gun.  Your  Uncle  George  was 
the  peacefullest  man  I  ever  saw  —  just  like  a  girl. 
He  was  that  soft  and  easy  anybody  could  make 
him  jump  over  a  house  to  git  outer  the  way  of 
trouble ;  but  it  was  always  a  mistake  to  corner 
George;  for  if  he  couldn't  slip  outer  trouble, 
some  one  else  would  slip  into  it,  shore  pop.  George 
hated  to  draw  a  gun,  but  if  you  drove  him  to  it, 
he  was  the  lightest  hand  on  trigger  that  ever 
I  see. 

« It  was  this  way :  George  was  over  to  Brett- 
ville  to  pay  taxes.  After  he  had  done  his  busi- 
ness, he  went  into  Abe  McCall's  place  to  get  a 
taste  o'  mountin  dew  and  hear  what  was  goin'  on. 
Phil  Sheridan  was  in  New  Orleans,  and  the  news 
of  his  'Banditti  Order'  had  just  reached  the 
mountins.  Talk  was  loud  in  McCall's,  and  George 
slipped  in  behind  a  table,  at  the  corner  of  the 
bah,  where  there  was  a  window  with  a  lot  of 
sun  at  his  back  —  he  was  always  retirin'  and 
quiet-like.  The  room  was  half  full  of  chaps  that 
hadn't  been  reconstructed,  and  the  talk  was  wild 
and  hot.  George  nodded  and  spoke  to  three  or 
four  men,  and  then,  leanin'  his  right  arm  on  the 
bah,  he  threw  open  his  double-breasted  jacket  so 
his  left  arm  was  covered,  and  said  :  — 

«<Come,  boys,  who'll  wet  a  whistle  along  o* 
me?' 

"Not  a  man  nodded.  Your  Uncle  George 
wasn't  much  to  look  at.     He  was  small  and  pale, 


THE  VENDETTA  3 

and  he  hadn't  more  beard  than  a  girl ;  and  when 
he  was  mad  he  smiled  sweet-like  with  his  mouth, 
but  I  never  seed  no  one  that  saw  him  smile  with 
his  eyes  at  sech  times,  and  them  what  know'd 
him  best  didn't  set  much  store  on  that  smile. 

" '  Good  and  strong  for  one,'  said  George,  *  and 
I'll  toast  a  friend  o'  mine.  Here's  luck  to  that 
great  little  soldier  and  that  bully  little  man,  Phil 
Sheridan,'  says  your  Uncle  George,  smilin'  and 
drinkin'. 

"Hell  wasn't  more'n  a  minute's  walk  from 
that  place.  They  cursed  your  Uncle  George  till 
his  smile  spread  all  over  his  face ;  they  swore 
they'd  kill  him,  and  Joe  McCall  and  Tom 
McCandless  drew  guns  on  him.  They  shouldn't 
'a'  done  that  with  George  standin'  with  his  right 
arm  on  the  bah  and  his  back  to  the  light.  But 
how  did  they  know  he  was  left-handed  with  his 
gun?  They  didn't  know  it  then,  and  two  of 
them  never  knowed  it.  The  others  caught  on 
when  they  saw  his  coat  on  fire  and  heard  six 
shots  from  his  gun,  in  about  three  seconds,  and 
saw  five  of  their  gang  on  the  floor.  That's  over 
thirty  year  ago,  but  I  reckon  that's  how  this  wah 
commenced.  Two  killed  and  three  wounded  in 
the  first  gun  fight  was  big  odds  in  George's  favor, 
and, it  took  the  Macs  nigh  on  twenty  year  to  get 
even.  They  trailed  him  more'n  nineteen  year 
afore  they  hung  his  pelt  on  the  fence,  and  then 
his  score  was  fourteen  plugged  and  eight  winged. 
For  sech  a  peaceful  man,  your  Uncle  George  saw 


4  DOCTOR  TOM 

considerable  trouble.  He's  takin'  his  rest  now, 
but  this  wah's  goin'  on  jes'  as  if  he  was  here ; 
only  we  miss  his  smile  and  his  cheerful  way  with 
a  gun. 

«  They  got  your  Uncle  Hughey  and  one  of  the 
Reardons  and  Tom  Bristow  two  year  afore  they 
got  your  Uncle  George  —  the  time  when  we-all 
went  over  the  range  to  wipe  out  old  Joe  McCall 
and  his  gang ;  and  they  got  your  Uncle  John  two 
year  ago,  when  the  McMahons  jined  the  revenue 
men  to  break  up  our  still  over  yander.  I'm  the 
only  one  of  the  old  Thompsons  left ;  and  they'll 
not  let  me  die  in  my  bed  if  they  can  help  it  — 
there's  too  much  a-comin'  to  me  for  that.  Some 
galoot'll  pop  me —  Fore  Gawd,  he's  done  it 
now ! " 

Two  rifle  shots  rang  sharp  and  clear,  and  two 
puffs  of  smoke  showed  above  a  pine  log  that  lay 
across  the  path  fifty  yards  down  the  mountain 
side.  The  two  men  fell  as  if  stricken  by  the 
same  blow,  —  the  old  man  heavily  on  his  side, 
with  his  rifle  under  him  and  a  ragged  hole  in  his 
left  breast,  while  the  young  man  pitched  forward 
on  his  face,  and  his  Winchester  clattered  on  the 
stones  a  dozen  feet  farther  down  the  trail. 

There  was  a  sound  in  Doctor  Tom's  ear,  as  of  an 
angry  bee,  and  a  stinging  feeling  over  the  ear,  as 
if  the  bee  had  not  been  idle ;  but  that  was  all. 
Tom  Hendricks  was  all  alive  and  all  alert.  In 
his  headlong  fall  he  had  thrown  himself  behind 
a  pine  stump,  half  smothered  with  new  growth 


THE  VENDETTA  6 

that  made  a  sheltering  fringe  through  which  he 
could  see  without  being  seen,  while  the  solid 
stump  was  a  safe  defence  against  the  bullets 
of  his  enemies. 

With  his  long-barrelled  Smith  &  Wesson  in 
his  hand,  his  eyes  on  the  log,  above  which  the 
faint  smoke  still  curled,  he  lay  motionless,  as  if 
dead.  He  heard  a  gasping  groan  that  sounded 
like  the  last  effort  of  Uncle  Jeff ;  and  then  there 
was  absolute  silence,  except  for  the  harsh  cry  of 
a  blue  jay  which  had  alighted  in  the  bushes 
above  his  head.  Tom  was  certain  that  the 
enemy  had  not  left  cover,  though  they  gave  no 
sign,  but  he  grew  impatient  as  the  moments 
passed,  for  his  instincts,  personal  and  profes- 
sional, were  calling  him  to  give  aid  to  the 
wounded  man  who  lay  near  him. 

Five,  eight,  and  perhaps  ten,  slow  minutes 
passed  before  the  men  in  ambush  were  willing  to 
accept  the  evidence  of  their  good  luck.  There 
seemed  to  be  no  reason  for  doubting,  however,  for 
their  victims  lay  as  they  had  fallen,  their  Winches- 
ters out  of  reach,  and  a  sly  blue  jay  perched 
close  to  the  head  of  one  of  them.  Two  brown 
slouched  hats  rose  over  the  log,  two  brown  faces, 
bearded  and  fierce-eyed,  showed  above  it  for  a 
short  second,  two  sharp  reports  from  a  self-cock- 
ing revolver,  and  two  heads  disappeared  behind 
the  log. 

There  was  no  uncertainty  in  Doctor  Tom's 
mind  or  movements.     Springing  to  his  feet,  he 


6  DOCTOR  TOM 

turned  his  back  toward  the  fateful  ambush  as  he 
reached  the  side  of  his  prostrate  uncle.  Quickly 
relieving  the  long  frame  from  its  uncomfortable 
position,  he  placed  it  flat  on  its  back,  opened  the 
homespun  coat  and  shirt,  and  saw  the  gaping 
wound  in  the  left  chest  which  the  big  .45  had  made. 

Doctor  Tom  was  too  modern  a  surgeon  to 
finger  or  probe  this  wound.  There  was  evidence 
of  severe  hemorrhage,  but  this  had  almost  ceased 
since  the  patient  had  fainted.  With  dexterous 
fingers  the  surgeon  searched  the  posterior  region 
of  the  left  chest,  and,  much  to  his  joy,  found  a 
hard  nodule  in  the  muscles  of  the  back  just 
beyond  the  point  of  the  scapula.  Accepting  this 
as  hopeful  evidence  that  the  bullet  had  been 
deflected  by  one  of  the  sturdy  ribs  and  thus  had 
failed  to  penetrate  the  well-guarded  chest,  Tom 
took  a  clean  handkerchief  from  his  jacket  and, 
with  strips  torn  from  the  old  man's  shirt,  bound 
it  tightly  over  the  wound.  The  wounded  man 
was  quite  unconscious,  though  the  heart  was 
beating  slowly,  and  the  doctor  was  not  anxious 
to  change  this  condition  until  he  knew  more  of 
the  case  and  until  he  was  in  position  to  control 
the  hemorrhage,  which  might  again  become  active 
when  the  heart  resumed  full  duty.  The  impor- 
tant matter,  for  the  moment,  was  to  get  the 
patient  to  the  house  in  the  easiest  and  quickest 
manner  possible. 

It  was  a  good  half  mile  to  the  cabin,  and  no 
help  was  to  be  found  nearer ;  but  Doctor  Tom 


THE  VENDETTA  7 

was  equal  to  the  task.  Modern  surgical  training 
includes  "  first  aid  to  the  injured "  ;  and  this 
contemplates  not  only  medical  and  surgical  aid, 
but  also  the  lifting  and  carrying  of  those  who 
need  such  attentions. 

Jeff  Thompson  was  not  a  light  load  for  a  mule, 
but  Hendricks'  shoulders  and  Hendricks'  skill 
were  equal  to  the  burden.  Kneeling  on  one 
knee  by  the  side  of  the  wounded  mountaineer, 
he  lifted  him  gently,  and,  in  the  most  approved 
fashion,  balanced  him  across  his  broad  shoulders 
and  bore  him  safely  down  the  trail.  A  half 
mile  is  a  long  way  with  such  a  load,  and  it  taxed 
even  Doctor  Tom,  trained  athlete  though  he  was. 
The  sweat  stood  in  great  drops  on  his  face,  his 
breath  came  fast,  and  his  sturdy  legs  shook  at 
the  knees  as  he  stepped  on  to  the  floored  and 
covered  passage  which  joined  the  two  halves  of 
the  Thompson  cabin.  Mrs.  Thompson  entered 
the  passage  from  the  opposite  side  at  the  same 
moment. 

"  For  Gawd's  sake  !  What's  the  matter  with 
Jeff  ?  He  ain't  been  shot  ?  Nobody  hain't  shot 
Jeff,  has  they,  Tom  ?  Why  don't  you-all  say 
somethin',  Tom  Hendricks  ?  " 

"  Uncle  Jeff's  shot  all  right,  Aunt  Hat,  and 
we'd  better  get  him  on  to  abed,"  said  Tom,  as  he 
stumbled  into  the  sleeping-part  and  dropped  his 
burden  on  the  nearest  bed. 

Tom  sat  on  a  stifT  chair  and  watched  his 
mother's  sister  while  he  caught  his  breath.     Tom's 


8  DOCTOR  TOM 

mother  died  young,  but  he  could  remember  her 
as  a  slight,  blond,  delicate  woman  with  dainty 
ways  and  a  soft  voice.  How  could  she  be  sister 
to  this  plain  woman  with  iron-gray  hair,  heavy 
features,  and  gaunt,  angular  outlines,  accentuated 
by  a  scant  gown  of  calico  much  the  worse  for 
time  and  wear  ?  Aunt  Hat's  face  was  distorted 
by  grief  and  passion,  and  her  voice  was  as  harsh 
as  a  soft  voice  can  be,  as  she  said  :  — 

"  That's  Bill  McCandless'  work !  May  his 
soul  roast  in  hell  for  it !  But  Jeff  won't  die,  will 
he,  Tom  ?  Jeff  Thompson's  too  good  a  man  to 
be  done  to  death  by  a  scum  of  a  McCandless. 
He  won't  die,  will  he  ?  " 

« I  hope  he'll  not  die.  Aunt  Hat ;  but  he's  had 
a  close  call,  and  we  must  get  to  work." 

Aunt  Hat  went  into  the  open,  and,  with 
hands  to  her  mouth  like  a  megaphone,  shouted, 
"  Sis  !     Oh,  Sis  !     Sis  Thompson  !  " 

"  What  yo'  want,  maw  ?  "  came  back  in  a  soft, 
musical,  and  carrying  voice. 

"  Come  here  quick." 

"  What  is  it,  maw  ?  "  asked  the  same  voice, 
when  halfway  from  the  spring  house. 

"  That  McCandless  has  tried  to  get  your  paw. 
Run  for  the  boys ;  they're  in  the  cohn  high  up 
the  branch." 

Without  a  word,  and  fleet  as  a  deer,  the  girl 
was  off.  When  Aunt  Hat  returned  to  the  sleep- 
ing-part, Jeff  was  more  than  half  undressed.  The 
wife  and  the  doctor  soon  had  him  in  bed,  and 


THE  VENDETTA  9 

then  Tom  ran  up  a  ladder  to  the  sleeping  loft 
and  returned  with  a  small  case  of  instruments. 

"  I'll  boil  these  while  you  get  water  from  the 
spring  and  some  whiskey ;  we  must  wake  him 
up." 

They  bathed  his  face,  neck,  and  chest  with 
cold  water,  and  poured  fiery  mountain  whiskey 
down  his  throat.  In  a  few  minutes  his  breath- 
ing became  deeper,  and,  with  a  long-drawn  sigh, 
he  opened  his  eyes,  looked  vacantly  around,  and 
then  closed  them. 

"  That'll  do  for  the  present,"  said  Doctor  Tom. 
« I'll  see  what  I  can  find  in  this  ugl}^  hole." 

With  a  well-boiled  silver  probe,  he  traced  the 
bullet  to  the  seventh  rib,  and  proved  that  it  had 
not  penetrated  that  ivory-hard  substance,  but 
had  followed  its  curved  line  until  it  reached  its 
greatest  convexity.  Thence,  taking  its  original 
direction,  it  had  passed  through  the  deep  muscles 
of  the  back  and  had  lodged  under  the  skin  near 
the  lower  angle  of  the  shoulder  blade.  With 
two  strokes  of  a  scalpel  the  bullet  was  exposed 
and  removed.  Simple  water  dressings  and  a 
mountaineer's  constitution  would  bring  speedy 
recovery. 


CHAPTER   II 

SIS    THOMPSON 

Sis  returned  from  her  mile-and-a-half  run  be- 
fore the  simple  surgery  was  finished.  She  showed 
the  same  evidences  of  exertion  that  a  three-year- 
old  thoroughbred  would  have  shown :  deep 
breathing,  expanded  nostrils,  a  trace  of  moisture 
in  the  hair  which  touched  her  forehead  or  clung 
to  her  ears,  and  some  tiny  half  drops  on  her 
short  upper  lip.  She  stood  at  the  foot  of  the 
bed,  her  brown  hands  clutching  the  rail  and  her 
great  eyes  flashing  under  the  storm-cloud  of  her 
gathered  brows. 

Sis  Thompson  was  seventeen  years  old,  and 
she  looked  like  an  unkempt  and  uncombed  filly, 
with  all  the  latent  possibilities,  as  well  as  the 
wilfulness  and  uncertainties,  of  the  thorough- 
bred. She  was  tall  and  gaunt,  like  her  race, 
with  long  arms  and  legs,  which  were  covered, 
though  not  hidden,  by  a  dingy  calico  dress. 
When  new,  the  dress  must  have  been  fitted  to 
a  shorter  and  narrower  girl,  for  four  inches  of 
brown,  bare,  and  sinewy  ankles  showed  above 
the  tops  of  the  shoes,  which  were  much  too 
large  for  her  slender  feet.     The  outlines  of  her 

10 


SIS  THOMPSON  11 

straight  limbs  were  exaggerated  by  the  clinging 
scantiness  of  her  gown,  and  the  spines  and  crests 
of  her  hip-bones  were  thrown  into  high  relief 
by  the  strained  calico  that  covered  them.  Her 
back  was  straight  and  fiat,  and  so,  indeed,  was 
her  chest.  Her  face  was  in  that  transitional  and 
unformed  stage  which  gives  much  to  hope  for 
as  well  as  much  to  fear.  Her  skin  was  smooth, 
but  so  brown  that  it  looked  harsh,  and  there 
was  an  archipelago  of  freckles  athwart  the  bridge 
of  her  straight  nose.  Her  moutli  was  wide,  with 
a  short  upper  lip,  armed  with  a  perfect  Cupid's 
bow,  and  a  lower  one  which  looked  as  though 
"  some  gentle  bee  had  stung  it."  Her  teeth  were 
perfect  and  well  shown,  but  badly  stained  by 
« dipping."  Her  eyes  were  large,  brown,  wide 
apart,  and  full  of  fires  which  were  often  beyond 
control ;  and  dark  brown  hair  grew  luxuriantly 
in  waving  masses  on  her  small  head  and  crept 
down  upon  her  forehead.  It  was  rebellious  hair, 
and  the  great  knob,  placed  where  head  and  neck 
join,  held  but  part  of  it :  wandering  locks  found 
pleasure  in  hiding  her  little  ears  or  sought  com- 
panionship with  her  heavy  eyebrows,  which 
were  now  contracting  ominously. 

"  What  was  yo'-all  doin'  when  that  nasty 
skunk  tried  to  get  paw  ?  Yo'-all  was  there, 
wasn't  yo'  ?     Yo'  had  a  gun,  hadn't  yo'  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  had  a  gun  until  I  fell  and  dropped  it," 
said  Tom,  rising  as  he  finished  his  work. 

«  What  did  yo'  fall  for  ?     Was  yo'  skeered  ? " 


12  DOCTOR  TOM 

The  short  lip  curled  and  the  brown  eyes 
flashed. 

"  I  reckon  that's  about  the  size  of  it,  Sis." 

« I  wish  paw'd  had  a  raan  with  him ;  no 
Thompson  don't  fall  jes'  'cause  he's  skeered.  It 
takes  an  ounce  of  lead  to  trip  we-uns,  if  we-uns 
ain't  got  store  clothes,"  said  the  scornful  girl. 

"  There,  Sis,  don't  sass  your  cousin ;  your 
paw's  comin'  to,"  said  her  mother. 

«0h.  Dad!  Tell  me  yo'-all's  not  hurted ! 
Why  didn't  yo'  take  me  with  yo'  ? "  and  Sis 
flung  herself  on  the  floor  at  the  side  of  the  bed. 

The  big  brothers  came  rushing  in  hot  from  the 
run,  and  eager  to  help  or  for  revenge. 

«  Bill  McCandless  tried  to  pot  3^our  paw,  but 
Tom  says  he'll  pull  through.  Take  the  guns  and 
dogs  and  trail  the  skunk  'fore  he  gits  outer  the 
Cove."  The  mother's  face  was  fierce  with  rage 
as  she  urged  her  sons  to  prompt  reprisal. 

The  four  men  were  quickly  armed ;  they  had 
only  to  take  four  loaded  Winchesters  from  the 
buckhorns  and  they  were  ready. 

"  Where's  the  old  man's  gun  ?  "  asked  Jake. 

"  I  dunno,"  said  the  mother. 

"Bill  McCandless's  got  it  by  this  time,  and 
yours,  too,  I  suppose,  Tom  Hendricks,"  said  Sis, 
in  high  scorn. 

"  No,  I  think  not.  I  had  to  leave  them  on  the 
trail,  for  Uncle  Jeff  is  no  featherweight,  but  I 
reckon  they're  safe,"  answered  Tom. 

"Guns   is   mostly  safe  when  dolly  kids   gits 


SIS  THOMPSON  13 

skeered   and   leaves    'em,"    snapped    the  brown 
wildcat  from  the  bedside. 

Tom  followed  the  men  into  the  open,  and  said  : 
"  You  don't  need  all  of  those  guns ;  you'll  find 
four  up  the  trail  by  the  north  spring  —  two  be- 
hind a  pine  log.     Take  a  couple  of  spades  and  a 
mattock,  —  you'll  want  to  hide  something." 

The  men  started  for  the  trail  with  two  guns 
and  the  tools  which  Tom  had  recommended. 
They  said  little :  talking  was  not  looked  upon 
as  an  accomplishment  by  these  tall,  straight, 
solemn-faced  young  men.  They  were  all  young : 
Jake  twenty-three,  George  twenty-one,  Zeb  nine- 
teen, and  John  (known  as  "  Bud  ")  a  sapling  of 
fifteen ;  but  their  faces  were  prematurely  old. 
There  was  little  promise  of  levity  or  even  light- 
heartedness  in  walk  or  conversation.  Life  offered 
serious  propositions  to  these  young  men,  and  they 
accepted  them  seriously.  The  daily  struggle  for 
food  and  shelter  was  met  with  courage  and  a 
willingness  to  face  homely  and  uninteresting 
employments  ;  their  environment  made  but  scant 
demands  upon  their  energies,  and  they  had  grown 
up  with  hardly  an  ambition  beyond  the  live-and- 
let-live  principle  which  their  isolation  favored. 
As  they  swiftly  followed  the  trail  in  single  file, 
they  showed  all  the  alertness  and  the  dogged  scanti- 
ness of  speech  of  the  Indian ;  they  were  tall  and 
slender,  too,  like  the  best  type  of  the  redman, 
and  their  long  limbs  moved  with  catlike  celerity 
and  lack  of  effort.     They  were  loose-jointed  and 


14  DOCTOR  TOM 

slouching  in  gait,  but  underneath  this  careless 
manner  were  muscular  possibilities  as  quick, 
strong,  and  fierce  as  a  panther's,  and  spirits  no 
more  easily  tamed. 

The  three  dogs  that  beat  the  bush  for  fifty 
yards  on  each  side  of  the  trail  were  as  unusual 
as  their  owners.  They  were  cross-bred  dogs,  but 
not  mongrels,  for  on  each  side  was  royal  canine 
blood.  Their  mother  was  a  heavy-boned  blood- 
hound, red  in  color,  with  flapping,  pendant  ears, 
fiery  haws  that  made  her  eyes  look  bloodshot, 
and  apparently  twice  as  much  skin  as  was  needed 
to  cover  her  muscular  frame.  As  a  sick  puppy, 
she  had  been  given  to  Jeff  Thompson  by  a  travel- 
ling showman,  and  she  had  developed  into  a 
wonderful  specimen  of  canine  strength,  fidelity, 
and  intelligence.  She  had  taken  for  her  husband 
the  only  well-bred  dog-gentleman  in  the  moun- 
tains —  a  large,  white  bull  terrier  from  the  county 
town  —  and  the  result  of  this  marriage  was  three 
red-and-white  puppies,  which  the  proud  mother 
nourished  and  educated  in  most  exemplary  man- 
ner. They  now  surpassed  their  mother  in  stature 
and  equalled  her  in  intelligence  and  woodcraft. 
They  were  built  close  to  the  lines  of  a  heavy 
pointer  —  large,  capable  nose  and  jaws,  abundant 
room  for  brain  development,  pendulous,  silky  ears, 
strong  neck  set  into  massive  shoulders,  muscular 
back  and  quarters,  and  legs  and  tail  which  cast 
no  discredit  on  the  gentleman  bull  terrier,  their 
father. 


SIS  THOMPSON  16 

They  looked  fierce  and  dangerous  on  first  im- 
pression, but  they  were  gentle  to  a  degree  on 
better  acquaintance,  and  they  were  always  wise. 
This  canine  wisdom  was  phenomenal  and  un- 
canny, for  it  was  unaccountable  when  predicated 
on  any  means  of  acquiring  wisdom  known  to  man. 
The  something  which,  for  want  of  better  informa- 
tion, we  call  "instinct"  must  be  capable  of 
varying  degrees  of  development,  —  else,  why  the 
clairvoyance  which  some  large-brained  dogs  pos- 
sess ?  That  the  mother  could  and  did  warn  these 
young  dogs  against  personal  dangers  and  enemies 
was  only  natural ;  but  that  she  could  teach  them 
who  were  the  enemies  of  their  human  friends  bor- 
ders on  debatable  ground.  That  this,  however, 
was  true,  no  one  who  had  the  privilege  of  study- 
ing these  remarkable  animals  could  doubt.  By 
sight,  hearing,  smell,  instinct,  or  by  all  combined, 
they  became  conscious  of  an  enemy  long  before 
a  mere  human  intelligence  suspected  its  presence. 
Every  Mac  in  the  mountains  was  reckoned  an 
enemy,  and  not  only  every  Mac,  but  every  man, 
woman,  or  child  who  claimed  friendship  with 
them.  The  accident  of  the  afternoon  could  not 
have  occurred  had  the  dogs  been  with  the  men, 
for  no  enemy  could  get  within  even  long  range 
without  the  warning  growls,  bristling  spines,  and 
eager  questings  of  these  faithful,  vigilant  animals. 

They  now  beat  the  thickets  in  front  and  on 
both  sides  of  the  trail  until  within  two  hundred 
yards    of   the   north    spring,  when    one  gave   a 


16  DOCTOR  TOM 

whining  growl,  threw  his  head  high,  and  made 
straight  for  a  fallen  pine  one  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  away.  The  others  joined  him,  and,  like 
hounds  with  breast-high  scent,  ran  swiftly,  leaped 
the  log,  and,  with  fierce  growls,  began  tearing 
and  worrying  something  which  lay  beyond  it. 
The  young  men  hastened  forward  with  guns 
alert ;  but  when  they  reached  the  fallen  tree 
they  dropped  their  guns  and  called  the  dogs  off, 
with  words  of  commendation. 

"  To  heel,  Shem  !  Good  boy,  Japhet !  Let 
go.  Ham,  you  bully  dog  !  " 

Jake  turned  the  men  over.  "  Bill  McCand- 
less,  —  plum  in  the  middle  of  his  forward ! 
Black  Jack  McCall,  in  the  middle  of  his  for- 
ward !     Well,  I'll  be  damned  !  " 

George  went  up  the  trail  to  where  the  guns 
lay.  He  saw  the  pool  of  blood  where  his  father 
fell,  the  impress  in  the  loose  leaves  and  mould 
beyond  the  stump  where  Tom  had  thrown  him- 
self, and  the  powder-burn  on  the  low  leaves  of 
the  bush  whereon  the  blue  jay  sat  and  cried  his 
shrill  call.  It  was  all  clear  to  George,  and  he 
slowly  paced  the  distance  from  stump  to  log. 
"  Forty-six  !     Well,  I'll  be  damned  !  " 

With  the  trenching  tools  a  shallow  grave  was 
made ;  and  when  it  was  filled  in  and  covered 
with  leaves  and  brush,  Zeb  spoke :  — 

"  He  said  we'd  wanter  hide  so'thin' !  Well, 
I'll  be  damned  !  " 

The  young  men  picked  up  the  tools  and  the 


SIS  THOMPSON  17 

six  guns  and  marched  in  single  file  down 
the  trail.  When  halfway  to  the  cabin,  Bud 
spoke : — 

"  Sis  said  he  was  skeered !  Well,  I'll  be 
damned !  " 

While  the  young  men  were  busy  on  the  moun- 
tain side,  Doctor  Tom  did  what  he  could  for  the 
comfort  of  his  uncle.  When  there  was  nothing 
further  to  occupy  him,  he  went  into  the  open, 
tilted  a  split-bottomed  chair  against  the  cabin  logs, 
threw  one  long  leg  over  the  other  so  that  his  left 
toe  was  in  the  same  latitude  as  his  chin,  filled  his 
brier-root,  and  blew  clouds  and  rings  of  smoke, 
through  which  he  watched  the  glories  of  the  set- 
ting sun.  Sunset  and  sunrise  are  regarded  as  per- 
functory phenomena  in  Brett  County.  They 
occur,  but  they  are  not  observed,  or,  if  observed,  it 
is  in  such  a  matter-of-fact,  everyday  sort  of  way 
as  is  not  at  all  complimentary  to  the  ever  vary- 
ing panorama.  But  Tom  was  a  man  who  saw 
visions  and  dreamed  dreams,  and  it  did  not  re- 
quire the  full  glories  of  a  mountain  sunset  to 
arouse  his  fancies.  Through  the  smoke-bedimmed 
yellow  of  the  setting  sun  he  began  to  see  the 
vision  of  a  peaceful  valley  overflowing  with 
golden  corn,  which  would  nourish  and  fatten  the 
regenerated  swine  with  which  he  crowded  its 
hillsides.  He  had  fairly  started  the  first  herd 
to  market  when  Aunt  Hat's  voice  stampeded 
the  whole  bunch. 

"  Sis,  I  want  yo'  to  stop  gawkin'  at  the  trail 


18  DOCTOR  TOM 

and  get  the  pone  made.  They-all  'uU  be  hungry 
'fore  we-uns  is  ready." 

"  I  can't,  maw.  If  I  hear  a  dog  or  a  gun  I'm 
goin'  up  the  mountin.  /ain't  afeared  to  move 
outer  the  shadder  of  the  cabin ! " 

Tom  half  turned,  and  saw  Sis  at  the  other  side 
of  the  opening,  intently  watching  the  windings  of 
the  trail.  Her  back  was  toward  him.  She  held 
the  muzzle  of  a  Winchester  in  her  hand,  while  the 
stock  rested  on  the  ground  beside  her  impatient 
foot.  Her  muscles  were  rigid,  and  she  looked  the 
embodiment  of  youth,  alertness,  and  intensity. 

"  Don't  worry.  Sis ;  the  boys'll  be  here  before 
the  pone's  baked." 

"  I  ain't  a-worryin',  Tom  Hendricks,  but  I 
makes  no  pone  till  I  sees  the  boys." 

Sis  had  hardly  finished  speaking  before  her 
tense  muscles  relaxed  and  she  went  quickly  to 
the  sleeping-part,  hung  the  rifle  on  its  buckhorn, 
crossed  the  opening  in  front  of  Tom,  and  dis- 
appeared in  the  detached  kitchen.  She  did  not 
speak  to  her  cousin,  or  even  look  at  him,  but  her 
high  head  and  tilted  nose  expressed  her  scorn. 

The  boys  soon  appeared  in  single  file.  They 
marched  to  the  rifle  rack  and  hung  up  their 
weapons  ;  then,  with  solemnity,  they  approached 
Doctor  Tom,  and,  in  the  order  of  primogeniture, 
shook  his  hand  with  such  vigor  as  to  bring  his 
chair  on  to  all  fours  and  to  rattle  the  pipe  from 
his  teeth.  When  this  function  was  over,  Jake, 
as  spokesman  for  the  quartette,  said :  — 


SIS  THOMPSON  19 

"Cousin  Tom,  you-all  ain't  no  slouch!"  and 
they  filed  off  to  the  kitchen.  Tom  picked  up  his 
pipe,  tipped  his  chair  against  the  logs,  and  tried 
again  to  court  his  visions ;  but  he  had  no  chance, 
for  Sis  came  with  a  rush. 

« Yo'  slap  my  mouth,  Tom  Hendricks !  I 
want  yo'  to  slap  it  hard !  " 

She  was  close  to  him,  her  flushed  faCe  and 
stormy  eyes  looking  down  into  his  and  her  lips 
shaking  and  quivering. 

"  Slap  my  mouth  quick  —  quick,  I  tell  yo' ! 
Don't  you  hear.  Cousin  Tom  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Sis,  I  hear ;  but  men  don't  slap  pretty 
girls'  mouths  where  I  came  from.  They  find 
other  uses  for  them,  sometimes  even  more  cruel, 
but  they  don't  slap  them." 

"  Yo'  slap  mine  now,  or  I'll  die  of  shame, 
Cousin  Tom." 

"  I'll  kiss  your  mouth,  Sis,  on  half  that  provo- 
cation. But  I'll  not  let  you  off  easy,  my  young 
lady ;  I'm  going  to  ask  you  to  do  something 
that'll  be  hard." 

«  What  is  it,  Tom  ?  Cut  off  my  hair,  marry 
yo',  stop  swearin'  ?     I'll  do  it  shore  ! " 

"  Nothing  so  hard,  Sis ;  but  mind,  it's  a 
promise,  and   I'll   hold  you  to  it." 

"  I  promise  yo'  shore,  Cousin  Tom." 

"  Put  up  your  right  hand  and  say  after  me  the 
words  which  I  say :  '  I'll  never  again  put  a  dip 
stick  into  my  mouth.'  " 

Down  went  the  hand. 


20  DOCTOR  TOM 

"  Cousin  Tom,  my  teeth  would  get  nigger 
white,   jes'   like   yours  !  " 

"  Yes,  I  expect  they  would ;  but  that's 
the  punishment,  Sis,  and  I  hold  you  to  your 
promise." 

"  I  don't  tell  no  lies,"  said  the  girl,  and  her 
hand  went  up. 

"  Pone's  made  and  you-uns  better  hurry  up," 
said  Aunt  Hat.  Tom  knocked  the  ashes  from 
his  pipe,  dropped  the  bowl  into  his  pocket,  and 
followed  Sis  to  the  table.  The  supper,  spread 
on  bare  boards,  was  eaten  rapidly  and  in  silence. 

Pone,  cracklings,  sour  milk,  wild  honey,  fox- 
grape  jelly,  and  whiskey  were  in  abundant 
measure,  but  they  were  unattended  save  by  a 
crock  of  sweet  milk,  cool  from  the  spring  house, 
which  Sis  placed  near  Tom's  plate. 

"  It'll  make  yo'  sick  shore,"  said  the  girl,  with 
a  warning  smile,  as  she  placed  the  crock  beside 
him. 

«  ril  risk  it,  Sis,"  said  Tom,  as  he  drew  the 
dish  to  him  and  commenced  breaking  a  large 
triangle  of  fresh  pone  into  the  cool,  delicious 
fluid. 

No  further  word  was  spoken  until  the  meal 
was  ended.  Then  Jake,  in  his  drawling  mono- 
tone, said  :  — 

"  Bill  McCandless  and  Black  Jack  McCall ! 
In  the  middle  of  the  forward  !  Well,  I'll  be 
damned  1  " 

And  the  boys  marched  out. 


CHAPTER   III 

EUTH    RAYMOND 

The  Raymond  mansion  is  substantial  and 
commodious,  and  stands  four  square  to  all  the 
world  in  a  large  lot  on  Walnut  Hills,  out  from 
Cincinnati.  It  was  built  by  the  first  John  Ray- 
mond, who  came  to  the  valley  of  the  Ohio  to 
establish  a  fortune,  and,  incidentally,  to  found  a 
city.  It  is  of  such  massive  and  honest  construc- 
tion that  the  flight  of  a  hundred  years  has 
touched  it  only  to  soften  ;  and  it  stands  to-day 
as  solid  and  stately,  although  somewhat  old- 
fashioned,  as  it  did  when  Jefferson  was  President 
and  Blennerhassett  listened  to  the  wily  tongue  of 
Aaron  Burr  on  the  island  which  can  almost  be 
seen  from  its  high-peaked  roof. 

The  house  was  built  from  the  profits  of  one 
of  the  first  iron  mills  on  the  Ohio,  and  iron  has 
been  its  maintenance  ever  since.  The  Raymonds 
were  iron  men  in  all  their  Ohio  generations,  and 
they  grew  with  the  growth  of  the  Middle  West 
until  their  steel  rails  stretched,  like  the  fingers  of 
an  outspread  hand,  hundreds  of  miles  toward 
the  south  and  southwest.  Three  generations  of 
iron  men  and  cultivated  women    had  occupied 

21 


22  DOCTOR  TOM 

this  mansion  before  it  fell  to  the  lot  of  the 
brother  and  sister  who  now  reigned  within  its 
walls. 

Jack  Raymond  was  a  great-grandson  of  the 
founder  of  the  Raymond  fortunes,  and  the  pos- 
sessor of  the  homestead  and  the  iron  and  rail- 
road interests  which  had  descended  from  father 
to  son  to  this,  the  fourth  generation.  In  joint 
possession  with  his  sister  Ruth,  he  controlled 
and  managed  the  great  properties  which  they 
had  inherited  with  skill  and  acumen  which 
would  have  done  credit  to  the  best  of  his  prede- 
cessors, iron  men  though  they  were. 

The  John  Raymond  of  to-day  was,  however, 
more  perfectly  annealed  to  the  requirements  of 
the  ideal  twentieth-century  business  man  than 
any  of  his  forebears  had  been.  He  was  twenty- 
nine  years  old,  tall,  of  splendid  physique,  with  a 
blond,  leonine  head  that  looked  as  though  a 
square  hat  would  fit  it  best.  His  voice  was 
deep  and  musical,  his  manner  gracious,  and  his 
cultivated  and  liberal  mind  reached  beyond  the 
hampering  bounds  of  trade.  He  was  quick  to 
comprehend  details,  but  he  was  wise  enough  to 
relegate  them  to  those  who  could  entertain  them 
with  satisfaction  as  well  as  with  accuracy,  while 
he  was  at  liberty  to  devote  such  time  as  he  chose 
to  give  to  business  to  wider  fields  of  finance  and 
expansion.  He  was  a  splendid  specimen  of  the 
university  man  and  the  business  man  combined. 
He  loved  the  world  and  the  things  of  the  world 


EUTH   RAYMOND  23 

in  a  frank,  large-hearted  way,  and  the  world 
loved  him.  He  feared  only  God,  and  he  did  not 
fear  Him  in  the  orthodox  way  —  he  was  friends 
with  God,  and  would  not  willingly  displease  Him. 
He  was  admired  by  acquaintances,  loved  by 
friends,  and  adored  by  the  sister  who  waited  his 
return  on  this  November  afternoon. 

Ruth  Raymond  sat  before  an  open  grate  in  the 
library.  Her  close-fitting  walking  dress  and 
heavy  shoes  proved  that  she  had  but  recently 
returned,  as  did,  also,  the  coat,  hat,  and  gloves 
that  lay  on  a  chair  where  she  had  carelessly 
thrown  them.  A  small  table  with  a  tea-tray 
stood  near  her,  and  two  cups  had  been  used ;  an 
easy-chair  was  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  table ; 
but  cups  and  easy-chair  were  empty  now,  and 
Ruth  looked  to  the  fire  for  companionship. 

She  was  a  tall  woman,  slender,  though  beauti- 
fully rounded,  supple,  strong,  and  with  every 
grace  which  nature,  health,  and  physical  culture 
could  give.  The  dim  light  of  the  afternoon  and 
the  flickering  fire  showed  a  fair,  white  face,  with 
the  merest  touch  of  color  on  the  cheeks  and  ears, 
but  red  and  glowing  at  the  lips.  Her  blue  eyes 
were  set  wide  apart  and  were  arched  by  dark 
brows  which  became  close  neighbors  at  the  base 
of  a  nose  so  perfect  in  shape  that  no  one  knew  it 
was  a  shade  too  large.  Her  low,  broad  forehead 
was  threatened  by  a  mass  of  red-brown  hair  that 
seemed  to  glow  and  to  give  out  strange  lights 
at  every  turn  of  the  shapely  head  that  bore  it. 


24  DOCTOR  TOM 

A  small  dimple,  set  in  the  right  cheek,  deepened 
when  she  smiled,  and  a  well-defined  one  showed 
at  the  parting  of  her  firm  chin.  Faults  could  be 
found  in  Ruth  Raymond's  features,  but  no  one 
discovered  them.  Women  admired  and  courted 
her  for  her  exquisite  femininity,  men  loved  and 
followed  her  for  her  wonderful  perfection  of 
womanhood.  In  mind,  she  was  as  sound  and 
wholesome  as  in  body.  A  clear,  clever,  analyti- 
cal brain  had  received  the  systematic  training  of 
an  excellent  school,  and  had  ripened  under  the 
tutorship  of  a  soul  that  accepted  no  limitations 
as  to  its  responsibility  over  the  mind  and  life  of 
its  owner. 

Ruth  Raymond,  at  twenty-five,  was  a  ripe, 
beautiful  woman  who  carried  the  hearts  of  men 
with  her  wherever  she  went.  The  pleasures, 
problems,  and  passions  of  life  were  all  very  real 
to  her,  and  they  had  to  be  fought,  or  weighed 
and  measured,  by  a  will  that  gave  no  quarter,  or 
by  an  intelligence  that  could  estimate  propor- 
tions. She  had  attained  self-balance  by  carefully 
thinking  things  out  and  by  gradually  bringing 
herself  into  view-points  which  were  tenable  on 
account  of  their  conformity  with  the  code  of  per- 
sonal fitness  which  her  soul  had  established.  She 
was  not  religious,  in  the  ordinary  acceptance  of 
the  word,  but  God  was  very  real  to  her,  —  He  was 
adviser,  tutor,  and  brother  to  her  soul,  and  her 
moral  or  ethical  code  traversed  the  whole  scale 
when  it  proclaimed  «  no  evil  to  any,  best  good  to 


EUTH  RAYMOND  26 

all."  In  this  "  all,"  Ruth  Raymond  claimed  a 
part,  and  no  unimportant  one.  To  seek  her  own 
"  best  good "  in  every  way,  without  harm  to 
others,  was  an  integral  part  of  her  religion,  and 
this  is  why  she  mused  while  the  fire  burned. 

She  was  warmed  and  comforted  by  the  steady 
glow  of  the  coal  fire.  With  feet  on  fender,  elbow 
on  arm  of  chair,  and  dimpled  chin  in  hand,  she 
watched  the  small  blue  flames,  which  were  so 
numerous  and  yet  so  equal  in  size  that  they 
seemed  to  depend  upon  each  other  for  courage 
and  support.  They  were  lionest,  painstaking 
little  flames,  which  tried  to  do  their  duty  to 
themselves  and  to  their  neighbors,  but  they  were 
dreadfully  wanting  in  enterprise  and  individu- 
ality. They  depended  upon  their  surroundings 
for  their  usefulness,  and  upon  their  companions 
for  their  courage.  The  girl  could  not  imagine 
one  of  them  standing  alone  and  finding  self-reli- 
ance for  its  needs.  In  the  midst  of  the  flames 
she  saw  one  a  little  taller,  a  little  fairer,  than  the 
rest.  He  was  clad  in  a  surplice  and  he  was 
looked  to  as  a  leader,  but  he  led,  oh,  so  slowly  ! 
He  moved  with  the  throng,  sometimes  drifting, 
sometimes  trying  to  stem  it,  but  always  sur- 
rounded and  feebly  fighting  with  arms  encum- 
bered by  the  broad  sleeves  of  his  surplice.  Would 
no  flame  blaze  out,  taller,  much  taller,  than  the 
rest  ?  Must  all  be  of  the  same  height,  and 
hemmed  in  by  the  same  limitations  ?  Would 
not  one  cut  loose  from  its  base,  swing  into  the 


26  DOCTOR  TOM 

open,  and  subsist  on  the  spoils  of  the  air,  even 
if  but  for  a  moment?  The  gentle,  constant 
warmth,  the  peaceful  uniformity,  the  harmonious 
monotony,  were  negative  qualities  to  the  mind  of 
this  pale-faced  girl,  and  she  would  not  people  the 
chair  with  them. 

"  Why,  Ruth  1  In  the  dark,  dear  ?  Are  you 
sleeping  or  dreaming,  or  just  'thinking  things 
out '  ?  "  said  the  big  brother,  as  he  crossed  the 
room  and  placed  the  home-coming  kiss  on  his 
sister's  cheek. 

"  Oh,  Jack,  is  it  late  ?  I'll  make  a  lightning 
change  and  be  down  in  an  instant."  The  day- 
dream was  over,  and  Ruth  was  all  alive  to  the 
world  and  to  Jack. 

After  dinner  in  the  library,  Jack  lighted  his 
cigar  and  said  :  — 

"  Ruth,  I  want  you  to  listen  to  this  letter  from 
Tom  Hendricks.  You  know  who  he  is,  don't 
you  ?  " 

"  In  a  vague  sort  of  way.  I'll  listen  to  his 
letter,  and,  if  I  especially  like  it,  you  may  tell 
me  all  you  wish  about  your  old  chum,"  said 
Ruth,  from  the  deep  comfort  of  her  Turkish 
chair. 


CHAPTER  IV 

TOM  HENDRICKS  TO  JACK  RAYMOND 

"  Dear  Jack  :  Don't  you  doubt  it  for  a  mo- 
ment, —  I  am  on  the  very  edge  and  rim  of  the 
world,  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth,  though 
less  than  two  hundred  miles,  as  the  crows 
fly,  from  your  Walnut  Hill  superrefinements 
and  superfluities.  But  the  truth  is,  crows  do 
not  bring  refinements  on  their  wings,  and  there 
are  mountains  of  toil  and  eons  of  time  between 
you  and  this  primary  place.  I  have  definitely 
located  Mount  Ararat  and  am  now  looking  for 
signs  of  Captain  Noah's  cup  defender,  which  must 
be  derelict  somewhere  in  this  latitude.  I  have 
found  God's  original  drawings  for  the  frame- 
work of  the  human  race,  but  the  blue-print  for 
the  elevation  has  been  mislaid.  I  am  going  to 
hunt  for  it. 

"  Speaking  of  hunting,  I  must  tell  you  that  it's 
excellent  in  these  mountains :  big  game  and 
plenty  of  it,  and  sometimes,  also,  a  sense  of  ex- 
citement and  a  moment  of  uncertainty  as  to 
whether  you'll  get  the  game  or  the  game  will  get 
you.  This  question  of  primitive  selection  fur- 
nishes the  only  zest  to  life  for  the  lineal  descejid- 

87 


28  DOCTOE  TOM 

ants  of  Shem  who  still  work  the  Ararat  home- 
stead. Beyond  this,  the  arts  of  elimination  and 
repression  are  the  only  ones  cultivated.  But 
mountaineers  are  past  masters  in  these  industries, 
and  they  can  give  cards  and  spades  to  the  rest 
of  the  world ;  indeed,  they  are  beyond  praise,  if 
such  arts  are  praiseworthy. 

"  Do  you  know.  Jack,  I  can't  quite  bring  myself 
to  think  that  we  were  placed  upon  this  dirt-clad 
earth  just  to  clothe  ourselves  in  its  uniform. 
We  have  to  come  to  it  in  the  end,  but  what's  the 
use  of  anticipating  the  ultimate  jacket  of  dirt  ? 
There  are  a  few  years  in  which  we  may  keep 
reasonably  clean,  if  we  are  so  inclined,  and  may 
show  that  there  is  something  within  us  which  is 
not  mould.  Did  it  ever  occur  to  you  in  our  col- 
lege days  that  I  was  of  the  stuff  from  which 
missionaries  are  made,  —  that  I  was  loaded  to 
the  gunw^ale  with  missionary  timber?  I  fear 
you  will  say,  '  Nay,'  for  it  was  equally  hidden 
from  me.  Neither  home  nor  foreign  missions 
appealed  to  me  in  those  careless  days ;  but  now 
a  change  of  heart  has  come,  and  I'll  be  blessed 
if  I  do  not  stay  a  general  missionary  to  Brett 
County  and  a  special  one  to  Thompson's  Cove. 

"  Don't  laugh  at  me,  Jack,  for  I  am  up  against 
it,  and  you  must  help  me  out.  I  have  a  half 
plan  of  campaign  in  my  mind  of  which  you  shall 
have  this  private  outline.  The  minor  sins,  such 
as  are  contraband  of  the  Decalogue,  are  to  be 
winked  at  or  left  to  the  local,  blind-eyed  Dog- 


TOM  HENDRICKS   TO  JACK   RAYMOND    29 

berries ;  but  heinous  crimes  are  to  be  stamped 
out  as  vigorously  as  possible.  Chiefest  among 
the  latter  are  hydrophobia,  mountain-dew  mania, 
appetite  for  mud  pies,  too  much  hydrocarbona- 
ceous  food  (I  mean  to  introduce  beans  and  oat- 
meal), carelessness  in  personal  appearance  (an 
invoice  of  mirrors  and  tooth-brushes),  ignorance 
of  the  English  (or  any  other)  language,  the  heresy 
that  Brett  County  is  half  as  large  again  as  the 
rest  of  the  world,  primitive  farming  but  fin  de 
Steele  fighting,  a  disposition  to  raise  little  corn 
but  much  hell,  and  an  unholy  aversion  to  cor- 
oners. There  is  a  crying  need  for  this  last-men- 
tioned functionary  and,  in  the  fulness  of  time, 
I  intend  to  supply  it ;  but,  as  the  consensus  of 
opinion  runs  contrary  to  my  views,  I  may  have 
to  hold  the  office  in  escrow  for  a  season.  There 
is  a  voice  in  the  air  like  this  :  — 

« '  Wall,  stranger,  this  'ere  Brett  County  don't 
seem  mighty  healthy  for  coroners  and  such-all. 
I  recollect,  nigh  on  to  thirty  year  back  I  reckon, 
they  was  three  coroners  'lected  in  one  year ;  but 
they  didn't  last  no  time.  One  jumped  over  the 
mountains  'tween  two  days,  and  t'other  ones  we 
planted.  They  hain't  none  growed  sence  — 
'spect  we  planted  'em  most  too  deep.' 

"  But  I'll  be  coroner  in  Brett  County  all  right, 
and  don't  you  forget  it.  Jack,  for  I  am  special 
missionary  to  these  people,  and  that  is  one  of  the 
tilings  which  they  need  most ;  but,  like  other 
heathen,  they  do  not  know  it. 


30  DOCTOR  TOM 

"  The  real  truth  is  this  :  the  Thompsons  are  the 
only  kin  I  have  in  the  world,  and  I  like  them. 
They  are  as  full  of  power  as  so  many  electric 
dynamos.  They  will  get  started  sometime,  and 
the  devil  will  be  to  pay  unless  some  one  is  on 
hand  to  gear  them  down.  I  believe  that  is  my 
mission,  and  I  am  not  going  to  funk  it.  I  am 
liable  to  botch  it,  but  I  would  be  a  cad  not  to 
try,  for  I  am  foot-free  and  have  more  than 
enough  ;  so  here  I  stay.  I  count  on  you  for  such 
aid  and  comfort  as  you  can  give,  for  I  do  not  feel 
certain  that  it  will  be  all  holiday  work,  and,  in 
spite  of  my  <  cheek,'  I  am  not  desperately  enam- 
ored of  myself  or  of  my  ability  to  do  good  where 
I  should  like  to. 

"  Incidentally,  you  may  sometime  find  profit 
and  work  in  these  mountains.  They  are  as  full 
of  iron  and  coal  as  they  can  hold,  but  they  are  no 
more  accessible  than  the  mountains  of  the  moon. 
You  must  build  a  railroad  to  and  through  them  ; 
but  you  cannot  do  that  until  some  of  my  mission 
work  has  borne  fruit  —  surveyors  and  prospect- 
ors would  have  a  bad  time  among  these  sons  of 
Shem ;  we  must  smoke  the  bees  before  we  try  to 
get  tlieir  honey.  We  will,  however,  drop  the 
business  for  the  present  and  go  back  to  the  pre- 
liminary mission  work.  The  aid  and  comfort 
which  I  ask  is  not  altogether  in  your  line,  but 
you  are  a  man  of  resources,  and  I  can  count  on 
you. 

"The  most;  energetic  dynamo  in  this  Qove  is 


TOM   HENDRICKS   TO   JACK  RAYMOND    31 

my  cousin,  Sis  Thompson.  Sis  is  seventeen 
years  old,  and  has  the  spirit  of  a  three-year-old 
filly  and  the  courage  and  temper  of  a  wildcat. 
Her  head  and  face  have  gorgeous  possibilities, 
though  they  are  as  yet  unrecognized.  I  want 
a  mirror,  as  large  as  will  go  into  a  large  trunk, 
and  a  hand-glass  ;  also  the  necessary  toilet  articles 
for  a  young  lady's  table  —  not  silver  monogram 
things,  Jack,  but  simple  and  useful.  Our  young 
colt  has  a  wonderfully  constructed  framework, 
but  neither  art  nor  nature  has  covered  it  to  meet 
the  requirements  of  modern  conventions  —  simply 
<  a  rag  and  a  bone  and  a  hank  of  hair,'  but  such 
bone  and  such  hair  as  no  artist  would  change, 
though  the  rag  must  be  changed  for  '  things 
more  relative.'  Can't  you  get  your  sister  Ruth 
to  look  after  the  details  ?  They  are  not  much  in 
our  line,  and  it  would  be  no  end  of  nice  in  her  to 
help  us  out.  Just  tell  her  to  buy  a  modest  little 
outfit  for  a  slip  of  a  country  girl,  five  feet  seven 
inches  high,  slender  to  a  degree,  but  good  in 
shoulders  and  hips,  and  she  will  know  the  rest. 
If  she  could  also  send  Sis  a  chart  or  a  diagram 
to  indicate  how  and  in  what  order  these  things 
are  to  be  put  on,  it  would  be  a  mercy.  If  you 
send  a  bolt  of  blue  calico  and  as  much  white 
stuff  to  Aunt  Hat,  I  think  she  will  know  what 
to  do  with  them. 

"  I  want  two  young  Berkshire  boars  (bred  in 
the  purple,  but  not  related),  to  grade  up  the 
razorbacks    which    are    native    to    these  .hills, 


32  DOCTOR  TOM 

You  need  not  crate  them  with  the  calico,  unless 
you  think  it  necessary,  but  they  belong  to  the 
same  invoice,  and  they  have  a  legitimate  mission 
in  my  plan  of  regeneration.  In  a  year  we  shall 
be  shipping  from  Brett  County  Westphalian 
hams,  grown  on  the  sweet  masts  of  our  moun- 
tain sides,  and  fattened  on  the  golden  corn  from 
the  Cove.  They  will  bring  money,  and  money 
will  bring  wants,  and  these  wants  are  what  we 
need  in  our  business. 

"  A  sack  of  Old  Government  Java  and  a  chest 
of  Formosa  Oolong  will  help  fight  the  whiskey- 
from-a-dipper  habit  which  is  congenital  here. 
A  set  of  boxing  gloves  will  harden  the  trigger- 
pull,  as  well  as  give  vent  to  the  surplus  energy 
of  my  dynamo  cousins. 

"  You  may  put  in  for  me  another  double-action 
.38  caliber  Smith  &  Wesson,  if  you  like  —  the  new 
version  is  very  correct.  I  am  going  to  spend  the 
winter  in  this  Cove  as  a  self-appointed  school- 
master to  these  sons  and  daughters  of  Shem,  and 
I  want  you  to  furnish  me  a  library.  My  curricu- 
lum is  limited,  both  by  time  and  by  talent,  but  I 
shall  try  to  encourage  a  purer  and  wider  vocabu- 
lary, a  broader  geography,  and  a  less  personal 
chivalry.  Send  me  a  Rand  and  McNally  Atlas, 
and  my  six  favorite  novels  :  Macaulay's  '  History 
of  England,'  'Henry  Esmond,'  'The  Vicar  of 
Wakefield,'  '  The  Cloister  and  the  Hearth,'  '  The 
White  Company,'  and  '  The  Lady  of  the  Lake.' 
If  I  cannot  teach  school  with  these  books,  I  can- 


TOM  HENDRICKS  TO  JACK  RAYMOND    33 

not  succeed  with  any,  so  I  need  not  bother  you 
for  more. 

"  Dear  Jack,  I  am  boring  you  with  this  long 
letter  and  long  list,  but  what  is  the  good  of  hav- 
ing a  chum  if  you  cannot  bore  him,  yea,  even 
tunnel  him  to  your  heart's  content  ?  But,  is  my 
heart  content  ?  I  fear  not,  old  chum.  You  have 
not  known  much  of  me  for  the  past  few  years, 
and  things  have  been  doing  since  last  we  met. 
I  got  touched  pretty  hard  under  the  fifth  rib  a 
year  ago,  and  the  spot  is  a  little  sore  yet.  You 
think  I  take  things  easy,  and  I  reckon  I  do,  but 
this  was  different.  I  was  at  the  very  top  of  the 
highest  mountain  in  the  seventh  heaven  for  three 
months,  and  then  went  to  the  bottom  of  hell  at 
one  jump.  I  suppose  it  was  all  my  fault,  for  it 
came  of  my  squeamishness  as  to  what  a  girl 
ought  to  be ;  but  hell  was  just  as  hot  as  if  some 
one  else  had  pushed  me  in.  I  am  getting  a  little 
used  to  it  now,  and  perhaps  the  next  time  I  write 
I  shall  be  sending  to  you  for  blankets.  Let  us 
hope  it,  for  I  can  never  go  to  that  heaven  again. 
I  have  not  talked  of  this  much,  and  we  w^ll  con- 
sider the  incident  closed. 

"  I  will  write  you  something  of  my  life  here 
during  the  winter  if  you  wish  to  hear  it,  but  it 
would  be  better  if  you  would  beat  me  up  for  a 
month,  —  say  January  or  February.  We  could 
give  you  a  bit  of  good  sport,  and  you  would  en- 
large your  knowledge  of  life  by  seeing  what  can 
be   subtracted    from   it    without   destroying   it 


34  DOCTOR   TOM 

entirely  or  even  reducing  its  virility.  You  are 
too  dependent  upon  environment.  You  ought 
to  see  hovv^  life  touches  those  w^ho  live  close  to 
primary  things.  You  will  probably  refuse  me 
this  pleasure  at  first,  but  I  hope  you  will  think 
better  of  it  later ;  and  it  shall  be  my  business  to 
keep  it  in  your  mind. 

"  To  your  charming  sister,  say  of  me  the  kind- 
est things  that  come  to  you,  for  I  have  imposed 
upon  her  good  nature.  She  will  hardly  remem- 
ber the  hulking  medical  student  who  called  at 
her  father's  house  five  years  ago  and  was  de- 
lightfully entertained,  for  half  an  hour,  by  a  shy 
young  lady  whose  red-brown  hair  and  deep  blue 
eyes  were  glorified  by  some  fifteen  summers. 
I  have  already  asked  much  from  her,  but,  if  she 
can  still  find  it  in  her  mind  to  give  me  a  word 
of  advice  as  to  the  best  way  of  breaking  my 
young  colt,  I  shall  be  her  debtor  for  life. 

<'  Now,  Jack,  do  all  these  things,  and  add  to 
your  virtues  by  writing  me  a  long  letter,  full  of 
the  details  of  the  other  w^orld.  We  have  a 
weekly  mail,  and  I  am  likely  to  get  your  epistle 
within  ten  days  if  you  are  prompt  in  putting  it 
into  the  box ;  but,  whenever  it  comes,  it  will 
be  glad  tidings  to 

«  Your  chura, 

"Tom  Hendricks." 


CHAPTER  V 

THE    HICKORY   FIRE 

"  Rather  out  of  the  common,  isn't  he,  Jack  ? 
Do  you  want  to  tell  me  a  lot  about  him  ?  If 
you  do,  I'll  listen,  for  the  unusual  is  the  desire 
of  my  heart,"  said  Ruth,  when  Jack  had  finished 
reading  Doctor  Tom's  letter. 

"  What  do  you  want  to  know  about  him  ?  " 

"  Everything  that  is  not  commonplace.  I'm 
in  a  listening  mood  to-night." 

"Tom  Hendricks  was  my  chum  at  the  Univer- 
sity, you  know.  He's  a  year  or  so  younger  than 
I,  but  we  were  together  in  everything.  He  was 
an  orphan,  and  had  an  income  of  eight  or  ten 
thousand  a  year,  which  he  spent  chiefly  on  im- 
pecunious students,  I  fancy ;  though  he  never 
talked  of  his  benefactions,  and  one  could  only 
suspect  them  or  come  upon  them  by  accident. 
He  did,  however,  talk  much  of  his  father,  a 
rugged,  old-fashioned  doctor  in  the  hill  country 
of  Maryland,  of  whom  Tom  was  exceedingly 
fond ;  he  strove  to  use  him  as  a  finger-post  for 
the  crossings  of  life, 

"Tom  was  the  most  fastidious  man  in  dress 
and  personal  care  I've  ever  known ;  and  this  fas- 

36 


36  DOCTOR  TOM 

tidiousness  was  so  ingrained  that  it  reached 
down  deep  into  his  soul.  He  was  absolutely 
clean  in  mind  and  body,  but  there  was  not  a 
vestige  of  priggishness  about  him.  He  was  open- 
hearted,  whole-souled,  kind,  generous,  gentle,  a 
jolly  companion,  a  loyal  friend,  an  ideal  chum, 
and  the  best-natured  enemy  that  one  could  wish. 
Physically,  he  was  God's  copy  of  a  man  —  six 
feet,  straight,  lithe,  and  graceful.  He  was  strong 
and  dexterous  in  almost  superhuman  degree,  and 
so  conscious  was  he  of  these  endowments  that 
he  would  never  use  them  in  competition.  He 
could  row  a  punt  swifter  than  most  men  could 
row  a  shell,  run  faster,  jump  higher  and  broader, 
put  a  shot  farther,  and  do  all  feats  of  strength 
and  skill  better  than  the  champions,  and  yet  he 
would  do  these  things  only  in  private.  With 
firearms  he  had  a  genius,  and  with  cards  and 
billiards,  an  instinct.  His  shots  with  revolver 
and  cue  are  still  talked  of  at  the  University, 
where  they  are  among  the  most  revered  tradi- 
tions of  the  undergraduates.  I  never  knew  him 
to  show  anger,  and  j^et  I  have  seen  him  punish 
cruelty  and  foul  tongues  severely  and  in  manner 
befitting  the  crime.  Resistance  at  such  times 
seemed  as  foolish  as  it  was  futile,  for  his  strength 
was  as  the  strength  of  ten. 

"  I  don't  know  whether  his  face  is  handsome 
or  not ;  I  never  thought  of  that.  He  has  large, 
gray,  dreamy  eyes  and  the  cleanest  mouth  im- 
aginable,  but  the   rest  of   his   features   are  so 


THE  HICKORY  FIRE  37 

tangled  up  in  his  charming  expression  that  I 
can't  even  remember  them.  His  mind  is  as  sound 
and  well  trained  as  his  body ;  but  I  fancy  it  has 
required  more  attention,  for  it  was  not  remark- 
ably quick.  I  could  do  my  lessons  in  half  the 
time  it  took  Tom  for  his,  but  when  he  once  got 
hold  of  a  thing  it  never  got  away,  while  mine 
grew  beautifully  less  each  day.  Tom  was  great 
in  the  sciences,  though  he  didn't  love  them  for 
themselves,  — '  pure  science  is  pure  bosh,  save  as 
means  to  an  end,'  he  would  say,  as  he  dug  over 
some  difficult  problem.  Altruism  was  the  '  end  ' 
in  his  mind,  and  nothing  was  too  dry  or  too 
difficult  if  he  could  see  the  relation.  Tom  Hen- 
dricks doesn't  pose  as  an  altruist ;  indeed,  he 
doesn't  pose  as  anything  —  he's  too  modest  for 
that ;  but  he  has  always  had  the  habit  of  doing 
the  thing  that  was  next  him  in  the  right  way 
and  without  thought,  and  I  suspect  this  habit 
accounts  for  the  notion  that  he  must  stay  in 
those  blessed  mountains.  He  studied  medicine 
after  I  left  the  University,  —  it  was  his  father's 
wish,  —  and  I've  seen  nothing  of  him  since;  but 
I  can  promise  you  he's  not  usual  or  common- 
place, wherever  he  is." 

"  Aren't  you  rather  enthusiastic,  Jack  ?  " 
"Not  more  than  the  subject  warrants.  No 
other  man  can  wear  Tom  Hendricks'  shoes ;  and 
I'm  not  much  of  a  gusher,  am  I,  Ruth  ?  But  I 
can't  like  the  idea  of  this  mission  work — he 
ought  not  to  bury  himself  that  way." 


38  DOCTOR  TOM 

"  It's  the  thing  '  next '  him,  isn't  it  ?  That's 
his  'habit,'  you  said.  We  can't  measure  don- 
sequences,  and  this  may  be  a  reformation,  for 
aught  we  know,"  said  Ruth. 

"  I  can't  like  it  for  Tom,  but  I  can't  change  it, 
and  I  must  back  him  up  as  well  as  I  can.  Will 
you  undertake  the  wardrobe  and  the  little  things, 
Ruth  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  I'll  do  that  much  toward  the 
reformation.  I  shall  be  interested  in  this  experi- 
ment, for,  unless  I  am  greatly  mistaken,  it  prom- 
ises some  unusual  experiences.  How  a  young  man 
is  going  to  suggest  tooth-brushes  and  lingerie  to 
a  young  lady  of  capricious  temper,  without  some 
unpleasantness,  is  more  than  I  can  guess." 

"  I've  great  confidence  in  Tom,"  said  Jack. 

"  I've  equally  great  expectations  from  Sis 
Thompson,"  said  Ruth. 

In  her  room,  Ruth  sat  before  a  newly  made 
fire  of  hickory  logs.  She  had  dismissed  her  maid, 
for  the  night  was  late,  and  she  was  ready  for 
bed*  She  crouched  on  a  low  stool  in  soft  night 
wrapper  and  fluffy  slippers,  watching  the  logs 
kindle  and  the  fire  gain  force.  The  day  had 
taxed  her ;  her  eyes  were  heavy,  her  white  face 
showed  a  shade  whiter,  and  the  red  blood  marked 
the  graceful  curves  of  her  lips  with  increased 
emphasis.  The  red-brown  of  her  hair  covered 
her  shoulders  and  back,  and  fell  in  masses  into 
her  lap  and  over  her  knees  as  she  sat,  three  ply, 
on  the  soft  hassock. 


THE  HICKORY  FIRE  39 

The  fire  grew  rapidly,  and  became  robust  and 
eager.  Seizing  every  part  of  the  fuel  with  hot 
hands,  it  compelled  flaming  blushes  which  con- 
sumed the  things  they  would  hide.  The  girl 
was  half  faint  with  the  heat,  but  she  would  not 
draw  back  ;  she  was  threatened  by  explosions  and 
flying  coals,  but  she  would  not  leave  her  place ; 
her  face  tingled  and  burned,  as  from  the  pas- 
sionate kisses  of  a  lover,  but  she  would  not 
flinch,  for  she  saw  in  the  flames  the  similitude  of 
a  stalwart  man  who  consumed  himself  rapidly, 
willingly,  and  eagerly  in  an  effort  to  give  light 
and  life,  and  she  wished  to  be  consumed  with 
him.  The  intensity  of  the  effort  quickly  ex- 
hausted the  vital  force,  vigorous  though  it  was, 
and  shadows  crept  across  the  room.  The  girl 
took  no  heed  of  the  waning  light,  but  dreamed 
her  dreams  as  the  air  grew  chill.  "Harm  to 
none,  best  good  to  all,"  was  the  burden  of  her 
dream.  When  she  awoke,  the  fire  was  dead ; 
but  the  ashes  were  clean  and  fragrant,  and  the 
morning  light  streamed  through  the  windows 
and  brought  peace  to  her  soul.  The  great 
problem  of  life  had  resolved  itself  for  Ruth  Ray- 
mond, and  henceforth  there  could  be  no  uncer- 
tainty, —  monotones  aroused  no  answering  chord 
in  her  nature. 


CHAPTER  VI 

JACK  RAYMOND  TO  TOM  HENDRICKS 

«  Dear  Tom  :  For  heaven's  sake,  come  off 
your  perch  !  What  is  the  good  of  wasting  your 
sweetness  on  the  mountain  air,  in  the  Appala- 
chian range  or  any  other  ?  There  are  people 
who  have  wants,  who  know  they  have  them, 
and  who  struggle  night  and  day  in  vain  effort  to 
gratify  them.  Come  up  into  God's  country  and 
supply  known  wants  before  you  attempt  to 
create  new  ones,  which,  when  found,  will  be  just 
as  hard  to  satisfy.  What  is  the  good  of  listing 
securities  which  will  not  be  taken,  or,  if  absorbed 
by  an  unsuspecting  and  hysterical  market,  will 
never  pay  dividends  ?  I  have  always  questioni&d 
the  advisability  of  teaching  a  Saviour  to  the 
heathen,  for  it  imposes  the  new  and  difficult 
obligation  of  being  saved.  There  is  good  work 
for  you  up  here,  either  in  your  profession,  or,  if 
you  like,  in  my  railroad  offices.  You  can  have 
congenial  work  among  congenial  people,  and  you 
will  not  get  buried  before  your  time.  You  are 
the  sort  who  should  be  doing  the  real  things  of 
life,  —  solving  problems  of  science  or  finance, 
making  history,  wrestling    with    live    men    and 

40 


JACK  RAYMOND  TO  TOM  HENDRICKS    41 

living  among  charming  women.  Leave  the 
windmills  to  knights  of  narrower  vision  or  more 
doleful  countenance.  I  am  in  dead  earnest, 
Tom  ;  I  want  you  in  my  business.  Your  plan  of 
a  railroad  through  your  mountains  is  not  at  all  a 
new  one  in  these  offices.  We  have  canvassed  the 
matter  pretty  thoroughly  and  are  now  ready  for 
preliminary  surveys ;  but  we  are  shy  a  good  man 
to  manage  them,  unless  you  will  come  up  and 
take  the  job.  I  wish  you  would,  but  I  am  not 
counting  on  you,  for  I  remember  you  of  old. 
You  never  would  compete  in  public,  but  you 
must  needs  go  off  and  do  a  lonesome  stunt  that 
would  paralyze  the  champion.  I  suppose  you 
are  too  old  to  change,  and  I  must  simply  go  on 
loving,  admiring,  and  misunderstanding  you  all 
^my  days.  I  may  possibly  see  you  this  winter, 
for  business  and  friendship  both  draw  me  to 
your  hills. 

"  I  have  filled  your  order  as  best  I  could. 
Ruth  took  the  burden  from  me,  the  swine,  the 
revolver,  and  the  boxing  gloves  being  my  only 
contribution  to  the  conglomerate.  I  hope  it  will 
arrive  safe  and  prove  satisfactory.  Sister  Ruth 
is  rather  interested  in  your  mission ;  she  thinks  it 
presents  some  Ibsenish  problems,  and  she  is  keen 
to  hear  how  the  work  goes  on.  She  says  there 
are  stormy  seas  to  sail,  and  <  Doctor  Tom  will 
be  a  skilful  mariner  if  he  escapes  sound  buffet- 
ing, for  the  awakening  of  Sis  Thompson  will 
be  something  more  than  a  yawn  and  a  stretch.' 


42  DOCTOR  TOM 

I  think  she  approves  the  general  plan,  but  she 
sees  some  difficulty  in  the  details,  and,  if  I  gather 
her  meaning,  when  it  comes  to  tooth-brushes 
and  lingerie,  there  will  be  hell  to  pay. 

"Ruth  says  it  is  very  kind  of  you  to  fix  the 
modern  date  of  five  years  as  the  time  of  your 
visit  to  our  house,  when,  in  fact,  it  was  trulj'' 
mediaeval,  — '  nine  years,  if  a  day,  and  I  was 
almost  sixteen  then.'  Don't  fail  to  write  me, 
Tom.  We  must  keep  in  touch  to  the  finish. 
«  Your  chum, 

"Jack  Raymond." 


CHAPTER  VII 

TOM  HENDRICKS  TO  JACK  RAYMOND 

"  Dear  Jack  :  You  are  a  trump  !  But  that 
is  neither  news  to  you  nor  original  with  me ;  I 
only  repeat  it  on  account  of  this  latest  evidence. 
The  whole  invoice  came  safely,  and  we  are  try- 
ing to  get  it  installed.  I  want  to  give  you 
some  details.  While  waiting  for  it,  my  four 
cousins  and  I  worked  hard  to  put  up  an  enclos- 
ure for  our  breeding  pens.  Something  more 
than  a  hundred  acres  was  fenced  by  logs,  stumps, 
and  brush,  in  the  most  primitive  fashion,  but 
hog  tight.  It  was  hardly  finished  when  we 
got  word  that  the  things  were  waiting  at  the 
'  siding,'  fifteen  miles  down  the  branch.  This 
siding  and  a  shanty  constitute  the  railroad  ter- 
minal facilities  for  Brett  County.  You  must 
push  a  spur  road  up  this  branch  (^ which  gets  its 
head  waters  from  the  hills  around  Thompson's 
Cove)  and  tap  the  wealth  of  ores  which  lies 
hidden  in  its  mountains.  The  ores  are  the  only 
things  which  will  bring  money  into  this  hill 
country,  and  without  money  we  can  bring  but 
scant  civilization  to  people  who  don't  know  that 
they  want  anything. 

48 


44  DOCTOR  TOM 

"  The  younger  boys  and  the  two  women  were 
left  to  guard  the  fort  while  Jake,  George,  and  I 
went  for  the  goods.  We  started  at  three  o'clock 
in  the  morning  with  a  mountain  wagon  and 
two  of  the  dogs.  There  has  been  considerable 
uneasiness  in  the  air  since  two  of  the  Macs  dis- 
appeared, rather  suddenly,  about  three  weeks 
ago,  and  everybody  is  walking  on  tiptoe,  clothed 
with  Winchester  and  revolver.  Indeed,  I  believe 
the  absence  of  these  garments  would  be  cause 
for  arrest  on  the  ground  of  outrageous  uncon- 
ventionality. 

"  We  started  early  because,  as  the  journey  is 
long,  the  roads  not  boulevards,  and  the  last  half 
of  the  route  in  the  enemy's  country,  we  had  to 
provide  against  delays  and  unfavorable  contin- 
gencies. The  man  at  the  siding,  Curtis  by  name, 
is  brother-in-law  to  Jack  McCall,  one  of  the 
missing  men,  and  he  did  not  seem  very  cordial 
as  we  routed  him  out  at  seven  o'clock.  We 
had  hardly  started  homeward  with  our  load 
when  we  saw  Curtis  slouching  rapidly  toward 
the  east. 

" '  Ole  Mike  McCall's  cabin's  jes'  beyond  that 
shoulder.  They'll  take  the  short  trail  over  the 
mountain,  and  cut  in  on  us  at  the  bend  by  the 
riffles.  I'll  get  there  first  and  stand  'em  off; 
and  don't  you  lose  no  time  with  the  mules,'  said 
Jake,  as  he  called  Shem  to  heel  and  started  up 
the  road  at  a  rapid  pace. 

"We   went   forward  as  fast  as  slow  mules, 


TOM  HENDRICKS  TO  JACK  RAYMOND    45 

crazy  wagon,  and  rough  road  would  permit,  and 
at  the  end  of  an  hour  were  near  the  riffles.  The 
sharp  crack  of  a  Winchester,  followed  in  a 
minute  by  two  others,  and  again  by  dropping 
shots  every  few  minutes,  all  rapidly  working 
south,  proved  that  Jake  was  '  standing  'em 
off '  by  a  running  fight  which  carried  us  each 
moment  into  safer  territory. 

"  George  deserted  the  wagon  and  took  to  the 
woods  as  soon  as  the  firing  commenced,  and  I 
was  left  with  the  mules.  With  such  language 
as  came  to  me,  though  I  considered  it  inade- 
quate, I  urged  these  phlegmatic  animals  to  do 
their  best  in  this  inglorious  retreat.  After  half 
an  hour  of  more  or  less  strenuous  strife,  the 
firing  ceased,  and  my  convoy  dropped  in,  sweat- 
ing and  swearing.  The  boys  had  saved  the 
supply  train,  which  now  had  a  clear  and  safe 
road   to  the  fort. 

"  When  we  arrived,  our  first  business  was  to 
dispose  of  the  Berkshires.  This  was  done  by 
giving  them  the  freedom  of  the  new  corral, 
where  they  were  to  lord  it  over  a  joint  harem  of 
fifty  gilts. 

"  The  trunks  and  boxes  had  been  left  in  the 
open,  and  I  looked  for  some  excitement  during 
the  unpacking  ;  and  I  was  not  disappointed  —  I 
got  all  that  was  coming  to  me  before  it  was  over. 
The  tea,  coffee,  oatmeal,  baked  beans,  boxing 
gloves,  revolver,  et  al.,  gave  occasion  for  comments 
more  or  less  flattering  and  subdued  enthusiasm. 


46  DOCTOK  TOM 

Aunt  Hat's  trunk  was  opened,  the  white  goods  were 
gloated  over,  and  the  bolt  of  calico  was  greatly 
admired.  I  recognize  the  feminine  prescience 
which  prompted  your  sister  to  include  the  essen- 
tial <  dress  findings'  which  my  crass  ignorance 
overlooked  —  I  grow  deeper  and  deeper  in  debt 
to  this  young  lady.  The  mirror  received  much 
attention,  and,  I  suspect,  gave  rise  to  some  sur- 
prises. Sis  hovered  around  it  like  an  angular 
butterfly,  giving  furtive  taps  and  pokes  to  her 
rebellious  hair  and  faint  frowns  of  disfavor  at 
her  whitening  teeth,  which  were  in  constant  evi- 
dence. She  danced  with  delight  at  the  sight  of 
such  wealth  of  material,  for  she  saw  splendors 
for  her  mother  which  would  arouse  envy  in  the 
hearts  of  every  female  neighbor,  as  well  as  of  the 
favored  few  who  reside  in  the  county  metropolis. 
"When  Sis  opened  her  trunk,  things  became 
intense.  The  sailor  hat  and  turban  were  pounced 
upon,  like  cat  on  mouse,  with  little  exclamations 
of  delight  and  the  clapping  of  each  in  turn  on 
her  brown  head,  —  not  a  disagreeable  tableau. 
The  wash  dresses,  the  blue  serge,  and  the  tailor- 
made  gown  were  inspected  with  a  gradually  increas- 
ing sense  of  awe.  The  wash  dresses  were  danced 
with,  the  serge  was  gently  touched  by  tender 
hands,  while  only  big  brown  eyes  could  tell  what 
the  tailor-made  gown  meant  to  them.  The  hand- 
mirror,  the  brushes,  and  the  little  things  which 
belong  to  a  girl's  table  were  screamed  at  in 
little  staccato,  soft-voiced  sentences  :    '  For  me  ? 


TOM   HENDRICKS   TO   JACK   RAYMOND    47 

Oh,  Cousin  Tom  !  Oh,  Cousin  Tom !  Is  this 
mine?  Oh,  Tom!  Oh,  Cousin  Tom!'  until  I 
got  red  in  the  face  and  felt  guilty.  Sis  hugged 
the  shoes  to  her  poor  flat  breast  and  kissed 
them,  too,  with  her  pretty  mouth,  until  I  got 
jealous  of  the  unresponsive  leather  and  planned 
a  retreat.  It  would  have  been  quite  as  well  for 
me  if  I  had  made  my  exit  at  this  propitious 
moment.  Six  pairs  of  long  black  stockings  came 
out  of  a  box ;  Sis's  eyes  glowed  with  pleasure, 
but  the  corners  of  her  mouth  drooped  a  little 
and  there  came  no  exclamation  from  her  lips. 
The  stockings  went  softly  back  into  the  box, 
attended  by  a  little  sigh,  and  then  the  girl  care- 
fully raised  two  or  three  fluffy,  ruffled  things, 
which  seemed  to  possess  little  individuality  —  a 
heavy  hair-brush  struck  my  head,  the  hand-mirror 
wrecked  itself  against  the  logs,  and  every  pro- 
jectile within  reach  of  this  rapid-fire  girl  came 
hot  and  fast  from  her  hand  as  she  shouted :  — 

"  Damn  yo',  Tom  Hendricks,  I'll  kill  yo' !  I'll 
kill  yo'  shore ! "  and  with  flaming  face  and 
flashing  eyes  she  ran  for  the  mountain  side. 

«  Your  sister  prophesied  that  relations  would 
become  strained  before  these  negotiations  were 
brought  to  a  happy  issue,  and  she  was  dead 
right ;  they  were  not  only  strained,  but  all 
diplomatic  relations  were  broken  off,  and  I  was 
^persona  non  grata^  with  much  emphasis  on  the 
'  non^  at  the  Court  of  Sis  Thompson,  for  six  days. 
I    fear.  Jack,  that    I  am  beastly  stupid    in  my 


48  DOCTOR  TOM 

dealings  with  women.  I  do  not  get  on  with 
them  at  all,  —  my  own  fault,  I  know,  but  none 
the  pleasanter  for  that.  I  want  to  do  a  lot  of 
things  for  Sis,  but  I  am  dead  sure  to  botch  them. 
She  has  great  stuff  in  her,  and  I  ought  to  get  it 
out  without  hurting  her  or  it.  I  wish  I  had 
more  sense,  or  wit,  or  whatever  it  is  that  makes 
it  easy  for  a  fellow  to  attempt  a  graceful  thing 
without  stubbing  his  toe. 

"  But  I  must  tell  you  how  my  young  wildcat 
has  sheathed  her  claws  for  the  nonce.  For  nearly 
a  week  after  the  frost,  I  was  in  outer  darkness. 
Sis  never  once  saw  me,  though  we  sat  in  the 
same  room  and  ate  off  the  same  boards.  On  the 
afternoon  of  the  sixth  day,  dating  from  the  bom- 
bardment, I  went  to  the  mountain  to  pot  a 
young  wild  pig  for  the  larder.  Luck  favored 
me,  and  I  was  quickly  back  with  my  spoil.  As 
I  passed  the  living-room  window,  I  saw  Aunt 
Hat  standing  in  cataleptic  ecstasy,  her  back 
toward  me,  her  hands  clasped,  and  her  attitude 
one  of  total  oblivion  to  mundane  things.  I  could 
not  see  Sis,  but  I  did  see  the  large  mirror  set 
against  the  wall  where  the  light  fell  fair,  and 
this  is  what  the  angle  of  incident  gave :  Two 
tidy  shoes,  well  laced,  and  marking  tlie  hour  of 
five  minutes  before  one ;  above  them  the  figure 
eleven,  smoothly  draped  in  black  hose,  and,  still 
above,  the  ruffled  edges  of  two  or  three  dainty 
things,  which,  so  far  as  I  could  judge,  had  fol- 
lowed a  correct  sequence.     I  took  to  the  woods 


TOM   HENDRICKS   TO  JACK  RAYMOND    49 

and  spent  an  hour  with  my  pig  and  pipe.  When 
I  again  approached  the  house,  I  was  met  by  a 
smiling  young  lady  in  blue  serge  ('and  several 
other  things,  as  I  have  reason  to  believe),  whose 
cordial  greeting  led  me  to  think  that  I  was  a 
valued  friend  whose  visit  had  been  long  deferred. 

"  '  Oh,  Cousin  Tom,  I'm  shore  glad  yo've  come  ; 
I've  made  a  honey  cake  for  your  supper.' 

"  The  queen  can  do  no  wrong,  and,  in  the 
fulness  of  her  sweet  time,  she  will  pardon  or 
punish  ;  but  we  are  always  her  loyal  subjects. 
Thank  you,  old  man,  for  your  advice  and  kind 
offers,  and  thank  you  still  more  for  the  half- 
promise  of  a  visit.  This  job  has  come  to  me 
unsolicited,  and  I  am  going  to  stick  by  it  until  I 
make  something  of  it  or  until  I  prove  myself  the 
dead  failure  which  I  often  suspect.  I  am  not  up 
to  the  rattle  and  scramble  of  the  world ;  but  if 
I  can  hide  myself  in  a  quiet  corner  and  dream 
that  I  am  of  use,  I  shall  be  happy.  I  am  con- 
ceited enough  to  think  that  they  need  me  here, 
and,  as  this  is  the  first  time  that  conceit  has 
overtaken  me,  I  am  going  to  walk  with  it  to  the 
end  of  the  road. 

"  Give  a  thousand  thanks  to  Miss  Ruth  for  her 
kindness,  and  also  convey  to  her  my  admiration 
for    her    infinite    wisdom    and    foreknowledge. 
Elbow  to  elbow,  Jack,  for  there  is  need. 
«Your  chum, 

"Tom  Hendricks." 


CHAPTER   VIII 

TOM   HENDRICKS    TO    JACK    RAYMOND 

"  Dear  Jack  :  A  sower  went  forth  to  sow 
and,  as  he  sowed,  various  things  happened  to  the 
seed.  Times  have  not  changed  nor  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  seeds  grown  less  since  the  early  experi- 
ence of  that  husbandman.  My  efforts  in  this 
line  have  been  attended  by  all  the  variations 
which  are  narrated  of  my  predecessor,  excepting 
the  sixty  and  one  hundred  fold  of  success.  The 
wayside,  the  stony  ground,  the  fowls  of  the  air, 
are  all  much  in  evidence ;  but  so  are  occasional 
patches  of  good  ground,  and  I  am,  therefore,  not 
as  one  without  hope.  Let  me  recount  my  bless- 
ings. 

"  I  have  established  a  natatorium,  and  I  am 
able  to  report  a  natural  and  healthful  increase  of 
patronage.  Hydrophobia  has  spent  its  virulence 
and  is  distinctly  on  the  wane ;  and  I  have  finally 
persuaded  Uncle  Jeff  to  part  with  his  moon- 
shiner's still  and  to  become  a  revenue-law-abid- 
ing citizen.  For  five  hundred  dollars  I  became 
the  possessor  of  the  most  obscure,  and  conse- 
quently the  most  successful,  mountain-dew  fac- 
tory in  Brett  County.     I  am  going  to  go  up  the 

50 


TOM  HENDEICKS  TO  JACK  RAYMOND    51 

hillside  some  evening  and  light  a  beacon  to  all 
these  people,  that  they  may  know  I  have  money 
to  burn.  Thus  doth  pride  take  hold  upon  one  ! 
The  burning  of  the  still  will  have  little  effect  on 
the  whiskey-from-a-dipper  habit,  for  the  stuff  is 
as  abundant  as  water  and  not  half  so  much 
dreaded ;  but  it  will  reconcile  the  United  States 
to  Uncle  Jeff,  and  that  is  a  thing  to  be  desired. 
I  reckon  tea  and  coffee  among  my  stanchest 
allies  against  whiskey,  for  I  have  observed  that 
neither  men  nor  women  can  drink  the  latter 
while  in  the  act  of  swallowing  the  former.  (I 
wonder  if  this  phenomenon  has  been  previously 
noted  !)  I  hope  I  am  on  the  verge  of  discovering 
the  cause  of  the  peculiar  anaemia  which  is  so  prev- 
alent in  these  mountains,  and  which,  I  believe, 
is  both  cause  and  effect  of  the  clay-eating  and 
whiskey-drinking  habits.  I  am  on  the  trail  of  a 
parasite,  and  I  hope  before  long  to  convict  him 
of  high  crime  and  a  misdemeanor.  In  the  mean- 
time, I  am  drenching  my  dear  relatives  with 
Java  and  Oolong  to  keep  their  throats  moist  and 
busy. 

"  Did  you  ever  notice,  Jack,  that  tribes  which 
inherit  alcohol  are  not  destroyed  by  it  as  are 
those  who  acquire  it  ?  This  is  not  true  of  indi- 
viduals, but  of  tribes  and  races.  Some  scientists 
contend  that  alcohol  is  '  the  most  perfect  food,' 
and  most  of  my  mountaineers  are  in  full  accord ; 
but,  by  the  same  token,  dynamite  is  '  the  most 
perfect  fuel,'  and  yet  one  would  be  unwise  to 


62  DOCTOR  TOM 

cook  his  breakfast  therewith.  I  want  to  wean 
my  mountain  folk  from  this  '  perfect  food,'  and 
to  give  them  a  balanced  ration  that  will  be  a 
little  more  manageable.  Oatmeal  and  baked 
beans  are  gaining  in  popularity,  and  I  am  able 
to  report  at  least  ten  pounds  of  exceedingly  be- 
coming flesh  recently  added  to  the  picturesque 
frame  of  my  cousin.  Sis  Thompson. 

"  Sis  is  going  to  be  a  beauty,  Jack ;  and  I  take 
no  risk  in  making  this  assertion,  for,  indeed,  she 
is  beautiful  now.  She  is  filled  with  queer  graces, 
and  her  face  has  the  vivid  beauty  of  an  electric 
storm, — flashes  which  startle  and  dazzle,  and  then 
periods  of  sombre  heaviness.  Some  day  these 
pyrotechnics  will  become  continuous,  and  then 
there  will  be  trouble  for  you  and  me  and  all 
men,  for  she  will  be  a  queen,  and  an  imperious 
one. 

"  Sis  has  an  instinct  for  clothes,  now  that  it 
has  been  stirred,  and  no  one  would  believe  that 
she  is  the  same  young  lady  who,  six  weeks  ago, 
practically  ignored  them  in  her  innocent  oblivion. 
Now  they  seem  gentle  and  loving  parts  of  her, 
which  add  no  more  to  the  grace  of  the  wearer 
than  they  receive  from  her  beauty  in  return.  I 
am  able  to  note  some  modification  of  character 
and  some  efforts  toward  self-control,  which  must 
be  due  to  the  influence  of  dress,  for  when  Sis  has 
her  '  store  clothes '  on,  she  never  swears,  and  sel- 
dom throws  things.  This  makes  it  pleasant  for 
us,  but  I  fear  Sis  doesn't  always  find  it  easy. 


TOM  HENDRICKS   TO  JACK  RAYMOND    63 

Indeed,  I  have  known  her,  under  stress  of  cir- 
cumstances, to  don  her  old  blue  calico  and  rush 
to  the  spring  house,  where,  I  have  no  doubt,  the 
crocks  had  a  bad  half  hour. 

"  Sis  takes  eagerly  to  the  books.  She  reads 
with  some  difficulty,  but  with  unusual  intelli- 
gence, and  she  forms  her  own  opinion  of  the 
characters,  without  being  hampered  by  conven- 
tions or  by  the  opinions  of  others.  She  loves 
Ellen  Douglas  (though  she  calls  her  'Miss 
Nancy '),  and  she  hides  the  copy  of  '  The  Lady 
of  the  Lake '  for  fear  we  will  steal  Ellen's  love 
away  from  her.  Trix  Esmond  is  her  ideal  of  a 
fine  lady,  and  when  I  accused  my  young  colt  of 
aping  the  airs  and  graces  of  Mistress  Beatrix,  she 
retorted :  — 

« '  I  wish  yo'-all  would  try  to  be  like  Colonel 
Harry ! ' 

"  Sis  had  the  best  of  me,  for  Colonel  Harry  is 
great  stuff. 

"  We  had  a  small  catastrophe  when  I  gave  Sis 
'  The  Vicar  of  Wakefield '  to  read.  All  went 
well  until  trouble  came  to  poor  Olivia,  then  bang 
went  the  book  into  the  middle  of  the  fire :  — 

« '  Why  do  they-all  write  books  about  damn 
fool  girls  ?  '  and  Sis  flung  herself  out  of  the  room. 

"  I  was  able  to  rescue  the  poor  Vicar,  but  his 
coat  was  sadly  burned.  My  dear  Doctor  Prim- 
rose did  not  come  on  much  better  with  the  boys. 
The  object-lesson  of  faith  and  resignation  .did 
not  make  a  hit,  for,  after  I  was  in  bed,  I  heard 


64  DOCTOR  TOM 

George  say  :  '  That  damned  galoot  of  a  Rider  got 
jes'  what  was  comin'  to  him.'  But,  on  the  whole, 
we  are  getting  on,  and  some  seed  is  sprouting. 

« I  think  my  greatest  coup  was  with  the  Atlas. 
On  the  full-page  map  of  our  state,  I  hunted  sev- 
eral minutes  before  I  found  Brett  County.  This 
was  an  evident  disappointment  to  the  boys  ;  but 
their  jaws  dropped  still  lower  as  they  began  to 
comprehend  relative  proportions. 

"  '  Is  that  picter  faih.  Cousin  Tom  ?  Hain't 
the  picter  man  played  it  low  down  on  Brett  ? ' 

"  '  No,  Jake  ;  the  proportions  are  all  right.' 

"  '  Well,  I'll  be  damned  ! '  said  Jake  ;  and  that 
is  all  he  said  for  a  week,  but  I  reckon  he  kept 
thinking. 

"  Sir  Nigel  has  been  a  prime  favorite  with  the 
boys  as  well  as  with  Uncle  Jeff.  His  gentle, 
subdued  manner,  his  insinuating  way  of  incurring 
a  fight,  and  his  tremendous  prowess  when  once 
engaged,  furnish  daily  food  for  meditation  as  well 
as  subjects  for  jerky  efforts  at  conversation. 

« '  Damned  little  cuss  !  Fit  the  biggest  man 
in  the  county  'fore  breakfast,  jes'  to  get  an  appe- 
tite fo'  his  pone  !  Wiped  a  bar's  nose  with  his 
pocket-hank !  Patched  up  one  eye  jes'  to  give 
t'other  man  a  chanst !  Well,  I'll  be  damned ! 
Jes'  like  yo'  Uncle  George,  ornery  and  no  account 
to  look  at,  but  wus'n  a  wildcat  to  monkey  with  ! ' 

«  Our  little  knight  will  do  these  boys  a  lot  of 
good,  but  I  am  not  so  sanguine  about  my  selec- 
tion   of   a    historian.      I    expected    Macaulay's 


TOM  HENDRICKS   TO   JACK  EAYMOND    55 

rounded  sentences  and  wonderful  flow  of  perfect 
English  would  bear  fruit  even  on  these  moun- 
tain sides,  but  I  shall  have  to  drop  him  and  try 
some  one  else.  The  prejudice  is  too  strong. 
'  'Tain't  nataral  for  words  to  run  like  a  branch, 
'thout  nary  a  riffle !  No  Mac  could  'a'  knowed 
them  things,  —  jes'  a  pack  of  lies!  Never  heard 
tell  noway  of  a  Mac  as  wouldn't  lie  like  a  hoss 
thief  ! '  What's  in  a  name,  Jack  ?  Much,  down 
here ;  and  I  shall  have  to  change  my  historian  or 
come  to  grief  in  my  parts  of  speech.  That  recalls 
something  I  heard  a  day  or  two  ago  when  the 
boys  were  milking. 

«  '  Jake,  what's  a  noun  ?  ' 

"  '  A  name  of  somethin',  shore.' 

"  '  George,  what's  a  verb  ?  ' 

« '  To  be  or  to  do,  yo'  bet  yo'  life.' 

" '  Give  a  sample,  Zeb.' 

«  '  Sis  is  a  verb  all  right.' 

" '  Shucks,  'tain't  no  sech  thing.  Verbs  mus' 
agree  'ith  nouns,  and  yo'  know  damned  well  Sis 
won't  agree  with  nothin'.' 

"  But  I  think  Zeb  was  correct ;  Sis  is  a  verb 
all  right,  —  active,  indicative,  and  in  the  present 
tense.  I  will  not  now  undertake  her  future 
declensions ;  but  I  will  not  funk  them  when 
they  come,  for  I  have  taken  on  a  brother's  re- 
sponsibility, and  will  back  her  to  the  limit.  I 
wish  I  knew  some  gentle,  wise  woman  who 
would  help  me  out,  for  I  am  sure  to  ball  things 
up  if  I  go  my  ow^n  gait. 


56  DOCTOR  TOM 

«  Dear  old  Jack,  how  I  do  inflict  myself  and 
my  small  interests  on  one  who  has  railroads  on 
his  shoulders,  Boards  of  Directors  on  his  hands, 
and  all  sorts  of  tremendous  things  down  his 
back.  Just  remember  that  I  have  only  you  to 
point  my  pen  at,  only  Thompson's  Cove  to  fur- 
nish incidents,  and  no  imagination  to  color  them, 
and  you  will  understand  why  you  must  be  a 
victim,  and  a  long-suffering  one.  Don't  fear 
but  I  will  write  again. 

«  Your  chum, 

«  Tom  Hendricks." 


CHAPTER   IX 

BUTH    GOES    TO    THE    MOUNTAINS 

"  Dear  Tom  :  I  wonder  if  you  will  accept  a 
visitation  in  lieu  of  a  letter,  or  two  letters, 
indeed,  for  I  am  seriously  in  your  debt.  Whether 
you  allow  the  credit  or  not,  I  shall  shunt  my  car 
on  to  your  siding  about  3  p.m.,  February  16, 
and  claim  mountain  hospitality  for  twenty-four 
hours.  I  want  to  glance  at  your  minerals  and 
to  get  some  small  idea  of  the  difficulties  to  be 
overcome  before  we  can  tap  them,  as  well  as  to 
look  into  the  eyes  of  my  old  chum. 

"  You  may  also  have  to  provide  for  my  sister 
Ruth,  who  has  developed  a  lively  interest  in  this 
spur  road  and  who  is  not  a  person  to  be  denied 
except  for  reasons  cogent.  It  will  do  my  eyes 
good  to  see  you,  and  it  will  warm  my  heart  to 
greet  you  at  the  siding. 

"  Yours, 

"Jack." 

The  car  had  been  switched  on  to  the  siding 
and  left  by  the  retreating  train,  —  the  only  one 
for  twenty-four  hours,  —  before  the  buckboard 
with  Tom  and    Bud  drove  up  to    the  shanty. 

67 


58  DOCTOR  TOM 

Tom  jumped  to  the  ground,  and  was  at  once 
seized  upon  by  a  big,  handsome  man,  whose 
blond  head  was  level  with  his  own  and  whose 
blue  eyes  looked  into  the  gray  ones  with  the 
confident  assurance  of  tried  friendship. 

«  Jack  ! "  «  Tom  !  "  And  the  clinch  of  strong 
hands  did  the  rest. 

« Is  it  safe  to  leave  the  black  boys  with  the  car, 
Tom?" 

"  Safe  with  or  without  them,  Jack.  Careless- 
ness of  meum  et  tuuTn  touches  nothing  more  im- 
portant than  the  spark  of  life,  in  these  mountains." 

Out  of  the  car  door  came  Ruth  Raymond.  For 
a  short  moment  she  hesitated  on  the  platform, 
and  then  jumped  lightly  to  the  ground.  The 
hesitation  gave  Tom  a  glimpse  of  such  a  wonder- 
ful study  in  red-brown  that  he  never  lost  the 
effect.  Red-brown  from  the  top  of  her  head  to 
the  ends  of  her  slender  fingers  and  the  tips  of 
her  pointed  shoes,  —  the  shade  of  a  beech  leaf 
when  autumn  has  done  its  best.  Hidden  by, 
and  making  excuse  for,  this  glowing  color,  was 
a  splendid  woman  in  the  full  spring-tide  of  her 
beauty,  with  ambitions,  aspirations,  hopes,  emo- 
tions, and  passions,  held  in  leash  by  high  ideals 
and  a  strong  will,  but  still  fighting. 

"  Ruth,  I  want  you  to  know  and  to  love  my 
chum,  Tom  Hendricks ;  Tom,  to  know  Ruth  is 
to  love  her.  I  give  you  warning,"  said  Jack  with 
transparent  joy,  as  he  introduced  the  two  persons 
who,  of  all  the  world,  were  most  dear  to  him. 


KUTH  GOES   TO   THE  MOUNTAINS        59 

"  The  fruit  is  yet  more  wonderful  than  the 
flower,"  said  Tom,  as  he  gripped  the  hand  of  the 
young  lady  and  looked  straight  into  her  blue  eyes. 
The  grip  hurt  her  tender  fingers,  and  the  rings 
cut  into  them,  but  the  girl  liked  it.  She  wanted 
to  be  hurt  by  a  strong,  untrammelled  man,  who 
worshipped  with  eyes  of  dreamy  gray  and  whose 
face  had  the  far-away  look  of  Sir  Galahad.  Her 
fingers  tingled  until  she  was  well  advanced  on  her 
journey  to  the  cabin,  and  after  that  she  felt  a 
little  lonesome. 

Jack  Raymond  cast  his  dignity  to  the  winds, 
and  was  a  boy  again,  with  his  best  chum,  in  dear 
old  Baltimore,  as  the  two  men  sat  side  by  side 
on  the  front  seat  of  the  buckboard.  This  arrange- 
ment had  been  made  by  Ruth,  who  declared  she 
must  have  Bud  on  the  seat  with  her,  for  she 
wished  to  become  acquainted  with  him.  Bud 
was  shy  and  awkward  as  he  sat  uncomfortably 
by  the  side  of  a  more  resplendent  being  than  any 
of  whom  he  had  ever  dreamed.  Even  Mamselle 
Cavita,  in  all  her  gorgeousness,  as  delineated  on 
the  circus  poster  at  Brettville,  who,  until  this 
wonderful  day,  had  been  his  glorified  idea  of 
womanly  loveliness,  "  couldn't  hold  a  candle  to 
Miss  Ruth,"  as  he  confided  to  Zeb  that  evening. 

But,  with  all  his  admiration.  Bud  was  poor 
company  for  the  beautiful,  much-alive  woman 
at  his  side.  The  monosyllabic  answers,  nods,  and 
smiles  which  came  from  his  averted  face  gave 
ample  opportunity  to  the  woman  to  study  the 


60  DOCTOR  TOM 

new  man  on  the  front  seat,  and  Ruth  was  not 
slow  in  taking  advantage  of  it.  Indeed,  it  is 
probable  that  this  object  had  influenced  the  ar- 
rangement. Doctor  Tom  had  roused  her  interest 
when  two  hundred  miles  away,  and  now  she  pro- 
posed to  study  him  at  closer  view.  Her  object 
was  not  defined,  —  perhaps  she  had  none.  Mere 
adventure  or  curiosity  would  suffice.  She  was 
already  convinced  (the  visions  of  life  that  had 
come  to  her  in  the  two  grates  proved  this)  that 
she  could  not  fill  the  measure  of  her  happiness 
from  any  cup  which  had  thus  far  been  presented. 
Was  it  necessary  for  her  to  form  her  life  on  the 
line  of  eternal  repression  ?  Why  could  not  she 
take  an  active  part  in  securing  the  happiness 
which  was  her  due  ?  Ruth  Raymond  knew  that 
she  could  excite  love,  and  she  knew,  too,  that  she 
could  requite  it.  This  knowledge,  which  had  no 
element  of  vanity,  made  her  brave  in  effort,  high 
in  ideals,  and  patient  of  results ;  she  would  be 
blissfully  happy,  in  her  ideal  way,  or  she  would 
contentedly  wait  for  a  new  incarnation. 

That  was  why,  on  scant  urging  from  her 
brother,  she  had  decided  to  visit  the  mountains 
and  beat  up  the  preserves  of  the  unusual  man  of 
whom  Jack  was  so  fond.  There  was  no  false 
modesty  in  this  beautiful,  capable  woman.  To 
put  herself  in  the  way  of  happiness  was  hers  by 
right  of  every  grace  which  nature,  education,  and 
refinement  had  showered  upon  her.  It  was  no 
false  or  unwarrantable  pride  which  taught  her 


RUTH  GOES  TO  THE  MOUNTAINS        61 

that,  if  a  man  could  give  her  a  happy  life,  she, 
in  turn,  could  secure  his  happiness  in  equal  meas- 
ure. Ruth  Raymond  was  a  queen  whose  eyes 
were  searching  the  crowned  heads  of  men  for  a 
fit  mate  for  her  throne.  If  by  chance  the  prince 
was  found,  upon  him  would  fall  the  burden  of 
proving  his  worthiness  and  of  establishing  his 
right  to  reign.  She  wanted  no  prince  consort, 
but  a  king,   to  sit  beside  her. 

Doctor  Tom  had  made  a  favorable  impression, 
and  he  was  improving  it  by  devoting  nine-tenths 
of  his  time  to  her  brother,  which  seemed  a  most 
natural  thing  to  this  healthy-minded  girl.  The 
men  were  gay,  jolly,  and  reminiscent,  and  Tom's 
laughter  rolled  up  the  mountain  side  as  full  and 
free  as  a  boy's.  Uncontrolled  laughter  uncovers 
the  soul  more  completely  than  does  the  exercise 
of  any  other  expression,  and  it  is  only  the  guile- 
less who  dare  take  the  risks.  Tom  had  i^o  more 
desire  to  keep  his  soul  under  cover  than  to  keep 
his  face  from  the  mountain  air.  Soul  and  cheek 
were  for  daily  use  and  equally  open  to  inspection, 
and  his  laugh  rang  out  clear  and  wholesome  on 
slight  provocation. 

When  the  buckboard  and  its  load  had  passed 
the  bend  in  the  road  by  the  riffles,  which  marked 
the  supposed  danger  line,  the  Raymonds  were 
not  a  little  surprised  to  see  three  tall  men,  with 
Winchesters  on  their  shoulders,  and  two  grand 
red-and-white  dogs  at  their  heels,  drop  quietly 
into  the  road  a  short  distance  in  front  of   the 


62  DOCTOR  TOM 

mules.  These  men  found  it  easy  to  keep  a 
hundred  yards  in  advance  of  the  team,  for  their 
long  legs  and  swinging  gait  could  easily  cover 
more  than  four  miles  of  hill  road  in  an  hour. 

"  Do  you  know  those  men,  Bud  ?  "  said  Ruth. 

«  Yep." 

"  Well,  who  are  they,  Bud  ?  " 

"  No  one  ;  jes'  the  boys." 

«  What  boys,  and  whose  boys  ?  " 

"  Jes'  we-uns." 

"Do  you  mean  your  brothers,  Bud  ?  " 

"  Yep." 

"  What  are  their  names  ?  Won't  you  tell  me 
about  them  ?  " 

"  Jake  un  George  un  Zeb  un  Ham  un  Shem." 

"  You  count  the  dogs,  do  you,  Bud  ?  " 

«  They's  we-uns  —  and  say  !  —  Ham's  Sis'  dorg, 
and  he'll  kill  a  wildcat  in  a  minute,"  shouted 
Bud,  in  the  high  voice  of  embarrassment. 

"  What  are  your  brothers  doing  here  ?  "  said 
Ruth. 

"  Damndifino,"  said  Bud. 

"  See  here,  Bud,  I  know  and  you  know  that 
they're  here  to  give  us  safe  convoy.  You  needn't 
try  to  keep  it  from  me,  for  I'm  not  a  bit  afraid. 
Isn't  that  what  they're  here  for  ?  " 

«  You  bet !  And  no  damned  Mac's  been  as  nigh 
as  a  mile  of  this  buckboard  since  we-uns 
started,"  said  the  proud  young  mountaineer. 

"Doctor  Hendricks,"  asked  Ruth,  "was  it 
really  necessary  for  those  tall  guardsmen  to  be 


RUTH   GOES  TO  THE  MOUNTAINS        63 

on  duty  ?  The  hills  give  me  a  sense  of  peace 
which  ought  to  be  universal." 

"Argosies  that  are  treasure-laden  should  have 
convoys  of  honor,  even  w^hen  they  are  not  needed 
for  protection,"  said  Tom.  Then  he  shouted : 
"  Jake,  slow  up  ;  we  want  to  lie  alongside.  You 
must  know  my  big  cousins,  Miss  Ruth.  They're 
worth  it.  Any  one  of  them  would  run  thirty 
miles  to  get  a  flower  for  you,  and  be  glad  of  the 
chance  ;  wouldn't  he.  Bud  ?  " 

"  Shore  !  "  said  Bud. 

The  wagon  stopped  and  the  boys  were  intro- 
duced. A  confused  murmur  of  « Evenin', 
Miss,"  and  « Evenin',  Mister,"  and  then  Ruth's 
voice  :  — 

"  Won't  you  come  and  shake  hands  with  me, 
Mr.  Jake  ?  I  want  to  thank  you  for  '  safing '  us 
this  afternoon." 

Jake  blushed  and  grinned,  until  all  his  hand- 
some old  ivory  was  exhibited,  and  then,  with 
gun  on  left  shoulder  and  right  hand  extended,  he 
strode  forward.  His  eyes  were  not  on  the  girl, 
but  on  a  point  in  the  mountains  miles  away,  and 
they  flashed  and  burned  with  fire  which  made 
their  blackness  lurid.  Ruth  put  her  little  hand  into 
the  great,  grim  paw,  rested  it  there  for  a  moment, 
and  was  about  to  withdraw  it  as  Jake,  missing 
what  he  had  expected,  dropped  his  lurid  eyes 
on  to  the  little  soft  thing  which  lay  on  his  broad 
palm.  He  did  not  shake,  clasp,  crush,  or  even 
touch  it,  but  just  let  it  flutter  awa^  while  his  e^es 


64  DOCTOR  TOM 

again  sought  the  mountain  side  and  his  lips  mur- 
mured, "  Well,  I'll  be  damned  !  " 

« I  think  I  would,  too,"  said  Ruth,  "  with  such 
eyes  and  in  such  solitudes." 

Ham  crowded  his  way  between  the  wheels, 
and,  with  his  fore  feet  on  the  side  of  the  wagon, 
thrust  his  great  muzzle  across  Ruth's  lap  and  gave 
in  his  allegiance.  "We  will  be  friends,  —  the 
best  of  friends,  —  Ham,  old  boy."  She  stroked 
his  massive  head  and  softly  rolled  his  thin  ears. 
The  dog's  eyes  told  the  girl  something  which  only 
dogs'  eyes  can  tell :  love,  —  absolute,  changeless, 
unselfish,  without  interest,  constant  through 
cruelty  and  neglect,  faithful  through  illness  and 
poverty,  loyal  through  crime  and  disaster,  un- 
touched by  incident,  and  asking  no  reward.  The 
girl's  heart  went  out  to  the  heart  of  the  dog,  and 
there  was  complete  understanding. 

It  was  the  hour  of  sunset  when  they  arrived  at 
the  cabin.  Uncle  Jeff  and  Aunt  Hat  stood  in  the 
open  to  meet  them, — Uncle  Jeff  tall,  grizzled,  grim 
and  angular,  but  with  a  kindly  light  in  his  deep- 
set  eyes,  and  Aunt  Hat  in  neat  calico  and  with 
smoothly  brushed  hair,  which  showed  that  Sis 
had  been  helpful. 

«We-uns  are  glad  to  see  you-all,"  said  Aunt 
Hat.  Uncle  Jeff  said,  "  Shore,"  and  the  wel- 
come was  complete. 

Sis  came  hot  from  the  mountain  side,  where 
she  had  robbed  a  dogwood  tree,  her  gypsy  face 
showing  above  the  mass  of  blossoms  and  glowing 


EUTH  GOES  TO  THE  MOUNTAINS        65 

with  shy  excitement.  She  dropped  the  flowers, 
though  some  of  the  petals  clung  to  her  serge  dress, 
as  she  came  slowly,  and  not  ungracefully,  to  meet 
the  strangers. 

"  Miss  Raymond,  this  is  my  cousin.  Sis 
Thompson  ;  Sis,  Miss  Ruth  is  sister  to  my  best 
chum,"  said  Tom. 

Brown  eyes  looked  level  into  blue  ones  —  the 
girls  were  of  the  same  height  —  with  half  a  hope 
and  half  a  challenge  for  an  instant,  and  then  the 
brown  eyes  softened  and  the  blue  ones  saw  just 
the  faintest  glimpse  of  a  light  which  had  shone 
in  the  eyes  of  a  dog  that  afternoon. 

"  I'm  shore  glad  yo've  come,"  said  Brown  Eyes. 

"  I,  too,  am  glad,"  said  Blue  Eyes. 

Jack  came  close  and  was  introduced,  but  Sis 
gave  him  only  a  cjuick  look  and  a  firm  hand. 

The  evening  was  spent  around  the  big  fire  in 
the  living-part.  Tom  and  Jack  talked  of  college 
life,  related  old  stories,  and  recounted  old  jokes. 
These  brought  small  explosions  of  laughter  from 
the  boys,  which,  however,  were  quickly  sup- 
pressed by  these  solemn-faced  youths.  Sis  sat 
in  the  shadow,  where  she  could  watch  the  play 
of  the  fire  on  the  red-brown  lady,  who  seemed  to 
her  unreal  and  impossible.  Ruth  took  little  part 
in  the  conversation,  if  conversation  it  could  be 
called,  but  sat  in  the  full  glow  of  the  fire,  and 
dreamed  half-dreams  while  she  listened  to  a  new 
voice  that  rang  clear  and  true. 

Ruth  was  not  at  all  in  love  with  Doctor  Tom, 


66  DOCTOE  TOM 

but  she  was  studying  him  with  interest.  She 
remembered  the  stalwart  figure  which  had  leaped 
in  the  blaze  of  the  hickory  logs  and  had  striven 
for  high  things  simply  because  they  were  high. 
She  remembered  that  the  fire  was  of  such  ardent 
enterprise  that  she  was  scorched  by  its  heat  and 
would  fain  have  turned  away,  but  was  held  by 
the  clearness  of  the  glow  until  the  last  ember 
faded ;  and  she  also  remembered  that  the  ashes 
were  white  and  fragrant.  Here  was  a  stalwart 
man,  educated,  refined,  qualified  to  succeed  in  any 
competition,  unselfish,  fearless,  striving  to  do  the 
right  thing  simply  because  it  was  the  right  thing. 
Could  such  a  man  be  the  king  for  whom  she  was 
looking  ?  Could  his  aims  and  ideals  reach  to 
her  point  of  view  ?  Could  so  limited  and  cir- 
cumscribed a  life  be  satisfying?  The  homely 
ambition  to  do  well  the  thing  at  hand  is 
commendable,  but  not  romantic.  A  willingness 
to  give  the  best  of  one's  life  to  a  narrow  people 
for  a  narrow  good  is  useful  in  its  way,  but  so 
limited.  No,  Doctor  Tom  was  not  the  king  to 
rule  this  vital,  romantic  woman ;  some  lack  of 
scope,  of  breadth,  or  of  vaulting  ambition  was 
there  to  mar  an  otherwise  perfect  character.  She 
would  drop  Doctor  Tom,  except  as  a  dear  man 
and  a  charming  friend,  and  would  take  up  Sis. 

In  the  partial  seclusion  of  their  bed-corner, 
the  beautiful  woman  with  the  red-brown  hair 
conferred  feminine  benevolences  upon  her  com- 
panion in  ways  so  deft  that  the  recipient  never 


EUTH  GOES  TO  THE  MOUNTAINS        67 

knew  she  had  received  them.  Sis  was  of  quick 
and  fine  apprehension,  and  the  object-lessons 
made  her  brown  eyes  expand  until  they  seemed 
to  cover  her  face,  and  she  knew  not  how  to 
close  them.  And  when  the  brown  head  lay  on 
the  same  pillow  with  the  red-brown  one,  and 
the  woman  kissed  the  girl's  eyelids  down,  say- 
ing, "  You  shall  come  to  my  house  and  live  with 
me,"  the  eyelids  flew  open  and  would  not  close 
until  the  February  sun  shone  over  the  mountain 
top  ;  for  Sis  Thompson  had  seen  a  vision. 


CHAPTER   X 

DOCTOR    TOM    SAFES    THE    TRAIL 

The  morning  broke  bright,  clear,  and  fragrant 
with  early  spring. 

«  Uncle  Jeff,  you  must  take  Jack  up  the  gulch 
and  show  him  the  gopher-hole  where  we  get 
coal,  and  then  climb  the  ledge  and  let  him  see 
how  iron  crops  out  in  the  Appalachians.  He  is 
keen  for  minerals,  and  you  have  them  for  sale, 
so  you  ought  to  spend  a  pleasant  morning," 
said  Tom. 

"Shore,"  said  Uncle  Jeff,  who  was  eager  to 
show  hospitality. 

"Miss  Ruth  and  Sis  will  go  with  me  up  the 
trail  to  the  old  still ;  providing  Miss  Ruth  is  will- 
ing to  make  a  steep  climb  for  the  sake  of  some 
bits  of  scenery  and  a  lot  of  wild  flowers,"  and 
Tom  turned  to  the  girl  for  consent. 

"  The  steep  climb  would  tempt  me  without 
the  flowers  and  scenery.  This  air  impels  one," 
said  Ruth. 

"  We  will  meet  you  at  the  still  in  a  couple  of 
hours,"  said  Tom,  as  the  two  men  started  on 
their  tour  of  inspection. 

"  I  can't  go  yet,  Cousin  Tom,"  said  Sis.     "  I 

68 


DOCTOR  TOM   SAFES  THE   TRAIL  69 

must  mind  the  milk,  but  I'll  catch  up  with  yo'-all 
at  the  still." 

Ham,  who  had  held  close  to  Ruth's  side  foi 
the  occasional  touch  of  her  gloved  hand,  was 
invited  to  go  with  the  pair,  and  he  expressed 
his  joy  in  sharp  barks  and  rapidly  executed 
circles. 

The  morning  was  perfect.  A  light  frost  had 
lain  in  the  valley  through  the  last  half  of  the 
night,  though  it  had  not  gone  far  up  the  moun- 
tain side,  but  the  early  sun  had  dissolved  the 
rime,  leaving  only  dew  and  crisp  air.  The  buds 
were  swelled  with  pride  of  new  sap,  the  birds 
rejoiced  at  the  birth  of  spring,  and  flowers 
crowded  aside  dead  leaves  and  grasses  in  their 
gratitude  to  the  glorious  sun. 

"  One  can  readily  believe  that  life  is  bound- 
less and  endless  on  such  a  morning  and  in  such  a 
place,"  said  Ruth.  "  But  I  suspect  that  the 
belief  is  more  physical  than  spiritual ;  that  it  is 
not  a  belief,  but  a  feeling.  Is  there  a  chance  for 
growth  in  these  solitudes  except  in  an  emotional 
sort  of  way,  Doctor  Tom  ?  " 

« I  never  tried  to  answer  that  question,  Miss 
Ruth ;  it  never  presented  itself  to  me.  Doesn't 
all  growth  commence  from  within,  from  the 
germ  of  the  seed,  and  the  food  that  surrounds 
it  ?  That  is  what  gives  individuality  and  char- 
acter. After  the  seed-food  has  been  exhausted, 
little  feeding  roots  push  out  in  search  for  more. 
If  the  supply  is  abundant,  well  and  good.     If 


70  DOCTOR  TOM 

it  be  scant,  the  roots  have  to  go  farther  and 
work  harder,  but  they  absorb  nothing  but  their 
kind,  —  the  violet  remains  a  violet  and  the  oak 
is  always  an  oak." 

They  stood  overlooking  the  north  spring.  "  I 
do  believe  those  are  violets,"  said  Ruth,  spring- 
ing from  the  log  and  bending  low  in  the  search. 
A  dead  stick  w^hirled  into  a  quivering  coil,  a 
Medusa  head  waved  in  its  centre,  and  a  whir  as 
of  locusts  filled  the  air.  Like  lightning,  Tom 
dropped  with  booted  feet  upon  the  poisoned  coil, 
with  both  hands  seized  the  girl's  waist,  and  with 
swift  muscles  lifted  her  bodily  to  the  other  side 
of  the  log. 

"  It  is  unusual,  Miss  Ruth,  I  assure  you — " 

"  I  quite  agree  with  you.  Doctor  Hendricks,  it 
is  unusual  —  " 

"  To  see  a  brute  like  that  at  this  season  of  the 
year,"  said  Tom.  "Here,  Ham,  you  fool!  Why 
are  you  not  attending  to  business  ?  " 

The  reptile  had  fanged  Tom's  boot,  and  could 
not  dislodge  his  tooth  from  the  tough  leather. 
Ham's  jaws  closed  once,  and  head  and  body  fell 
apart. 

"  Is  that  the  way  you  treat  a  special  friend  ? 
Be  ashamed  of  your  dog-self,  Mr.  Ham,  and  safe 
the  trail." 

If  ever  dog  was  ashamed,  that  dog  was  Ham. 
He  showed  it  in  every  possible  way,  but  espe- 
cially by  so  diligent  a  search  of  the  trail  that  not 
a  squirrel  or  a  chipmunk  was  to  be  seen. 


DOCTOR  TOM  SAI'ES  THE  TRAIL  7l 

"  They  are  violets,"  said  Tom,  as  he  stooped  to 
pick  them.  The  girl  was  pale,  and  the  hand 
that  took  the  flowers  shook  a  little,  but  it  was 
not  from  fright  alone.  She  was  startled  by  the 
danger  passed,  though  she  was  a  brave  woman 
and  dangers  were  simply  incidents  of  life ;  but 
she  was  impressed  by  something  more  than  an 
incident.  Here  was  a  man  who  did  instantly 
the  protecting,  male  thing,  with  no  other  thought 
than  that  he  was  there  to  do  it.  Would  not  this 
oak  grow  stately  even  though  it  stood  alone  ? 

"  I  am  terribly  sorry  this  happened.  Miss  Ruth, 
for  I  fear  it  will  make  you  think  less  of  our 
mountains." 

"  I  shall  not  be  surprised  if  it  makes  me  think 
more  of  them.  Doctor  Tom." 

The  group  gathered  in  front  of  the  moon- 
shiner's still,  and  it  was  evident  from  the  sombre 
face  of  the  old  man  that  he  was  far  from  happy 
at  the  sight  of  its  forlorn  and  ill-kept  appearance. 

"  Heap  o'  good  stuff  been  through  that  old 
worm,"  said  the  former  moonshiner.  "  Don't 
seem  nat'ral  to  pay  McKinley  four  bits  for  every 
quart  of  mountin  dew  or  apple-jack  we-uns 
drink." 

«  We  will  make  the  four  bits  easier  out  of  the 
hogs.  Uncle  Jeff,  and  you  will  be  at  peace  with 
Uncle  Sam." 

"  I  'low  'tain't  nat'ral,  shore,"  said  Uncle  Jeff. 

"  We  must  make  a  burnt-offering  to  our  new 
goddess,  Sis." 


72  DOCTOK  TOM 

«  What  do  you  mean,  Cousin  Tom  ?  " 

«  We  must  burn  the  old  still  in  honor  of  Miss 
Ruth." 

"  You  may  burn  me  for  her,"  said  Sis. 

"  Come  here,  Sis,"  said  Ruth.  "  I  need  you." 
The  older  girl  took  the  arm  of  the  younger  one, 
and  together  they  turned  from  the  men.  What 
was  said,  no  one  knows ;  but  something  passed 
which  made  them  sisters  for  all  time. 

«  Here's  our  torch.  Sis  ;  let's  make  an  end  of 
this  old  law-breaker,"  said  Tom. 

In  a  moment  the  beacon  blazed,  and  the  smoke 
of  its  burning  told  the  story  of  reciprocity  be- 
tween Uncle  Sam  and  Uncle  Jeff. 

After  an  early  dinner,  the  journey  to  the  sid- 
ing was  made.  Sis  was  on  the  seat  with  Ruth, 
while  the  boys  and  the  dogs  hovered  around  the 
buckboard  until  they  came  within  sight  of  the 
bend  by  the  riffles  ;  then,  with  solemn  shaking  of 
hands,  they  bade  good-by  and  disappeared  into 
the  timber,  to  safe  the  road. 

On  board  the  car,  Sis's  eyes  began  to  expand 
until  they  threatened  to  overrun  her  face.  Lunch- 
eon was  served,  and  Ruth,  declaring  she  was 
ravenous,  began  to  eat  at  once  and  with  some 
ostentation  in  the  use  of  fork  and  napkin.  Sis 
ate  little,  and  slowly.  She  was  quite  willing 
that  Ruth  should  set  the  pace,  while  she  followed 
with  some  degree  of  safety. 

"  Well,  Jack,  what  about  the  railroad  ?  "  asked 
Tom. 


DOCTOR  TOM   SAFES   THE  TRAIL  73 

"  You  shall  have  it,  <  shore,' "  said  Jack. 
"  There  is  money  in  the  hills,  and  the  road  is 
the  only  thing  to  bring  it  out.  I  say,  Tom,  Jeff 
Thompson  is  a  rich  man  —  a  very  rich  man  ; 
and  I  doubt  if  he  even  suspects  it." 

"  He  no  more  suspects  himself  of  wealth  than 
he  suspects  himself  of  kindness  or  of  courage. 
He  has  never  thought  of  such  things." 

"  Well,  the  youngsters  will  '  catch  on '  when 
Thompson's  Cove  is  crowded  with  mills  and  all 
the  hillsides  are  black  with  smoke  from  their 
furnaces.  I  tell  you,  Tom,  I  never  saw  such 
prospects  as  Uncle  Jeff  showed  me  this  morn- 
ing. Sis  will  be  a  gorgeous  heiress,  and  Jake  a 
solemn  nabob,  within  five  years." 

"  When  will  you  commence  work,  Jack  ?  " 

"  As  soon  as  you  can  get  consent.  You  are  to 
safe  the  route,  you  know." 

"  Give  me  until  January,  and  then  you  may 
send  in  your  surveyors." 

"  Are  you  going  to  hibernate  in  these  moun- 
tains for  a  whole  year,  Tom  ?  Why  don't  you 
chuck  it,  and  come  out  ?  " 

"  I  guess  I  shall  have  to  stay.  Jack,  for  I  am 
a  missionary,  you  know ;  but  I  fancy  it  will  not 
be  exactly  like  hibernating.  One  has  to  keep 
awake  to  live  in  the  Appalachians." 

« When  I  have  thought  things  out,  may  I 
write  you,  Doctor  Tom  ?  "  said  Ruth. 

"  I  don't  deserve  such  gracious  charity.  Miss 
Ruth,  but  I  will  appreciate  it.     It  will  be  help 


74  DOCTOR  TOM 

for  daily  needs.  You  are  going  to  '  think  things 
out'  for  Sis,  aren't  you?"  said  Tom,  lowering 
his  voice,  "  You  can  help  her  more  than  any  one 
else," 

"  Yes,  —  for  Sis  and  for  myself,"  said  the  red- 
brown  girl.  "  Roll  Ham's  ears  and  give  him  a 
big  piece  of  pone  for  me  to-night,  Sis  ;  and,  dear, 
you  won't  forget  me,  will  you  ?  " 

"Not  till  after  I  am  daid,"  said  Sis,  as  the 
train  sped  away. 


CHAPTER  XI 

TOM  CAPTURES  THE  SHERIFF 

Doctor  Tom's  teaching  was  of  the  hedge- 
school  type.  It  occurred  on  the  fortuitous  con- 
junction of  teacher  and  pupils,  and  it  was 
eminently  the  subject  of  accidents  in  other 
respects.  It  produced  some  fruits  other  than 
those  usually  gathered  from  the  tree  of  knowl- 
edge, one  sample  of  which  should  be  tasted  by 
the  reader,  as  it  flavors,  in  no  small  degree,  the 
political  status  of  Brett  County  for  the  succeed- 
ing years. 

Across  the  ridge,  at  the  south  of  Thompson's 
Cove,  was  a  wider  valley,  peopled  by  the  Rear- 
dons,  Joys,  and  Clays,  who  were  blood  kin  or 
warm  allies  to  each  other  and  to  the  Thomp- 
sons, the  alliance  being  for  both  offence  and 
defence.  The  Cove  is  not  far  from  the  middle 
of  the  county,  and  it  may  be  said,  in  a  general 
way,  that  the  nations  to  the  south  of  it  were 
either  of  the  same  blood  as  the  Thompsons,  or 
in  close  diplomatic  relations  with  them ;  while 
those  toward  the  north  were  alien  in  blood, 
dominated  by  the  Macs,  and  not  on  terms  of 
reciprocity. 

76 


76  DOCTOR  TOM 

The  friendly  tribes  were  the  more  numerous 
and  possessed  in  larger  degree  the  sinews  of 
war ;  but  the  enemy  was  more  aggressive  and 
enterprising,  and  held  the  most  important  stra- 
tegic point,  viz.  the  "  siding,"  the  terminal  facili- 
ties of  Brett  County.  The  rock  of  the  pillar  of 
Hercules  is  not  more  jealously  guarded  than  was 
this  siding  by  the  Macs  and  their  allies.  Feeble 
efforts  had  been  made  from  time  to  time  to  sap 
the  strength  of  this  fortress  by  inviting  the 
company  to.  carry  its  line  farther  to  the  south ; 
but  these  dangers  had  been  fended,  by  rude 
diplomacy  or  by  the  exhibition  of  belligerent 
force,  and  had  come  to  naught.  The  Macs  lay 
across  the  right  of  way,  and  they  held  their 
fortress  with  the  grimness  of  the  old  Rhenish 
barons  and  with  practically  the  same  result,  — 
an  embargo  on  trade ;  though,  in  this  case,  the 
impost  was  less  against  the  trade  than  against 
the  traders.  It  w^as  generally  conceded  that  so 
long  as  the  Macs  held  sway  over  the  lower 
reaches  of  the  creek,  no  railroad  could  be  pushed 
into  the  county,  as  the  only  practicable  route 
was  up  the  branch  which  took  its  head  waters 
from  Thompson's  Cove. 

From  the  west  side  of  the  Cove,  a  steep  grade 
and  a  deep  cut  could  take  the  line  over  a  pass  in 
the  mountains  to  Brettville,  five  miles  away. 
Some  small  sense  of  the  desirability  of  a  wider 
acquaintance  with  that  part  of  the  world  which 
lay  beyond  the  borders  of   Brett  was   creeping 


TOM   CAPTURES   THE   SHERIFF  77 

into  the  minds  of  the  more  progressive  of  the 
mountaineers,  though  as  yet  the  sense  was 
"  without  form  and  void."  The  only  evidence,  if 
evidence  it  could  be  called,  of  this  feeling  was 
the  half-expressed  opinion  of  some  of  the  more 
radical,  that  "  it  mout  be  jes'  as  well  to  'lect  a 
sheriff  as  won't  jump  over  a  mountin  jes'  as 
soon  as  a  gun  goes  off."  These  reformers  had 
selected  big  Cal  Clay  to  carry  their  banner,  for 
he  was  the  best  known  and  the  most  popular 
man  in  Brett.  But  would  he  prove  an  active 
and  efficient  sheriff,  holding  the  turbulent  ele- 
ment in  check  and  repressing  the  violence  of 
the  vendetta,  or  would  he  follow  the  careless 
methods  of  his  predecessors,  and  add  to  their 
loose  ways  some  good-natured  excuses  of  his 
own  ?  There  was  no  question  but  that  Big  Cal 
was  the  best-natured  man  in  Brett  County  — 
this  was  universally  conceded ;  and  he  had  the 
fewest  enemies.  But  at  the  same  time  he  could 
not  be  called  a  peaceable  man,  for  he  was  the 
most  frequent  fighter  in  the  mountains,  and  the 
most  successful. 

A  week  was  a  poor  thing  to  Big  Cal  if  it  re- 
corded no  fight,  and  he  slew  more  than  his  ene- 
mies ;  for  he  was  but  a  mean-spirited  man  who 
was  not  the  better  for  a  beating  at  the  hands  of 
this  lovable,  good-natured  giant.  No  prestige 
was  lost  by  a  defeat  from  Cal,  for  every  one  who 
faced  him  suffered  it ;  on  the  other  hand,  some 
eclat  was  gained  from  the  battle, 


78  DOCTOR  TOM 

"  I  fit  Big  Cal  a  week  las'  Thursday,  and  this 
is  the  fust  day  I've  been  outer  bed,"  was  proudly 
proclaimed  by  one  of  his  antagonists.  The 
length  of  confinement  to  house  or  bed  after 
the  battle  was  the  gauge  of  the  pluck  and 
prowess  of  the  combatant ;  the  defeat  was 
foreordained. 

Cal  Clay  stood  six  feet  three  in  his  stockings 
(if  he  was  in  luck),  and  his  raw  bones,  mighty 
muscles,  and  supple  sinews  weighed  two  hundred 
and  thirty  pounds.  He  was  thirty  years  old. 
He  lived  with  his  father  in  the  south  valley, 
where  his  big,  handsome  sister  kept  cabin  for 
the  two  men.  The  Clays  were  in  frequent  at- 
tendance upon  Doctor  Tom's  "  readin's,"  and,  as 
the  brother  was  certain  to  be  sheriff  for  the  next 
two  years,  Tom  Hendricks  was  anxious  to  es- 
tablish cordial  relations  with  him.  This  was 
not  a  difficult  task,  for  Big  Cal  was  so  good- 
natured  and  genial  that  he  was  friendly  toward 
all.  This  was  well,  so  far  as  it  went,  but  it  did 
not  go  far  enough  to  fulfil  the  requirements  of 
Tom's  plan  of  campaign  for  the  reformation  of 
Brett  County.  He  must  have  the  confidence, 
respect,  love,  and  personal  loyalty  of  the  big 
sheriff  if  he  was  to  succeed.  He  could  see  that 
he  had  gained  the  affection  of  the  sheriff,  but 
the  respect  and  loyalty  that  seemed  essential 
were  yet  to  be  secured.  Fortune  favored  him, 
and  he  covered  this  desirable  ground  in  record 
time. 


TOM   CAPTURES   THE   SHERIFF  79 

Sis  was  irritably  jealous  of  Miss  Kit  Clay's 
handsome,  well-rounded  body  and  easy,  confi- 
dent manner.  Sharp  spats  were  not  infrequent 
between  the  two,  and  they  were  little  heeded  by 
the  men ;  but  when  Sis'  angry  voice  said  :  — 

«  Yo'  lie,  Kit  Clay,  and  I'll  slap  yo'  mouth  I " 
and  Sis'  angry  hand  came  quick  and  sharp 
against  the  big  girl's  cheek,  Tom  had  barely  time 
to  interpose  between  the  Amazons  to  save  his 
cousin  from  condign,  though  merited,  punish- 
ment. Confusion  reigned  for  a  moment ;  then 
Cal  said :  — 

"  Get  outer  the  road,  Tom  Hendricks,  and  let 
Kit  baste  her.     It'll  do  the  little  wildcat  good." 

"  Not  this  wildcat,  Cal.  Sis  will  be  sorry 
enough,  for  she  has  her  serge  dress  on,"  said 
Tom. 

"  I'll  jes'  slap  yo'  mouth.  Doctor  Tom,  and 
that'll  make  we-uns  even,"  said  Big  Cal,  as  he 
threw  his  hand  across  Tom's  cheek  with  a  vig- 
orous crack. 

Tom  smiled  at  the  smiling  giant,  and  said, 
"  Sis  slapped  Kit,  you  slapped  me  ;  I  will  kiss  Sis, 
and  honors  will  be  easy." 

"  Yo'll  never  kiss  me,  Tom  Hendricks,  till  yo' 
fight  that  big  brute  that  hit  yo',"  said  Sis.  "  Ain't 
yo'  goin'  to  fight  him.  Cousin  Tom  ?  He  hit 
yo' !  Yo'  fight  him  high  as  yo'  can  reach  and 
then  climb ;  I'll  help  yo',"  said  the  fiery  girl. 

"  Shucks  !  He  won't  fight  nothin',"  said  Cal, 
whose  bipod  was  warming  at  the  words.     "  I'll 


80  DOCTOR  TOM 

jes'  slap  his  mouth  again  fer  luck,"  and  the  big 
hand  resounded  against  Tom's  cheek. 

"  I  reckon  I'll  have  to  lick  you  for  that  one, 
Cal,"  said  Tom,  still  smiling. 

"Will  yo'  fight,  Tom  Hendricks  ;  willyo'  shore 
fight  ?  "  and  the  big  man  extended  his  huge  hand 
and  cordially  gripped  Tom's,  while  his  face  shone 
with  pleasure. 

"  I  didn't  say  I'd  fight  you,  Cal.  I  said  I'd 
lick  you,  and  I  reckon  I  shall  have  to  do  it." 

"  Yo'  lick  me,  Tom  Hendricks  ?  I  wish  you 
could  !  'Tain't  no  fun  for  me,  jes'  a-lickin'  every 
man  in  the  mountins  and  most  goin'  to  sleep  all 
the  time." 

«  You'll  go  to  sleep  this  time,  sure,"  said  Tom, 
as  he  again  gripped  the  hand  of  the  delighted 
giant. 

They  went  out  of  doors,  the  spectators  follow- 
ing, and  stripped  for  the  fray. 

"  Holler  quick  as  yo'  git  'nough,  Tom  ;  I  don't 
want  ter  hurt  yo'." 

«  You'll  quit  as  soon  as  I  holler,  won't  you, 
Cal  ?  " 

"  Shore.     Are  you  ready  ?  " 

"  Sure,"  said  Tom. 

Cal  rushed  to  grapple,  but  Tom,  bending  low 
under  his  arm,  got  a  half  Nelson  and  threw  him 
with  a  crash  full  length  on  the  ground. 

«  You  must  fight,  Cal ;  you  don't  know  how 
to  wrestle." 

«  I'll  fight  yo',  shore,"  said  the  surprised  man. 


TOM   CAPTUKES   THE   SHERIFF  81 

His  second  attack  had  the  fury  and  vigor  of  a 
natural  fighter.  He  was  supple  and  quick,  as 
well  as  strong,  but  he  was  only  a  natural  fighter 
and  knew  none  of  the  arts  of  scientific  self- 
defence.  He  was  opposed  to  a  man  fifty  pounds 
lighter  than  himself,  but  one  who,  in  spite  of 
this  disparity,  was  more  than  a  match  for  him 
in  physical  strength,  agility,  and  endurance  ;  one 
who  also  knew  every  art  and  trick  of  defence  or 
attack.  Small  wonder,  then,  that  Tom  played 
with  the  giant.  To  block,  to  feint,  to  guard,  to 
duck,  to  side-step,  were  instincts  with  this 
trained  athlete,  and  he  found  no  difficulty  in 
avoiding  the  onslaughts  of  his  adversary,  whose 
mighty  arms  beat  the  air  in  vain  efforts  to  reach 
the  smiling  face  and  shifty  head  of  the  supple 
man  before  him.  Cal's  face  lost  none  of  its  good 
humor,  but  a  look  of  surprise  was  growing  in 
his  eyes. 

«  Why  don't  yo'  fight  back,  Tom  ?  Can't  hit 
yo'  for  shucks,  —  just  like  er  weasel." 

« I  shan't  fight  you,  Cal.  I  said  I'd  lick  you. 
Do  you  want  it  now  ?  " 

"  Yep." 

"  Then  say  good  night  to  the  girls,  Cal,  for 
you're  going  to  sleep." 

Like  a  flash,  Tom's  left  upper-cut  the  face  of 
Big  Cal  just  enough  to  straighten  him  up  and 
bring  his  chin  well  forward  ;  then  a  blow  in 
direct  line  from  the  right  shoulder  to  point  of 
chin,  and  the  big  man  was  fast  asleep  on  the 


82  DOCTOR  TOM 

ground,  against  which  his  heels  beat  a  short 
tattoo,  and  then  were  quiet.  In  thirty  seconds 
his  eyes  opened  and  he  sat  up,  but  more  than 
half  dazed.  After  rubbing  his  eyes  for  a  minute, 
the  old  smile  came  over  his  face. 

«  Whah  that  mule, — whah  that  dam'  mule  what 
kick  me  on  the  chin  ?  Perhaps  'twas  er  night- 
mare, for  I  shore  been  asleep.  Tom  Hendricks, 
I'm  mighty  proud  o'  yo',  yo'  damned  little  cuss ! 
Licked  Big  Cal  easy,  didn't  yo'  ?  Jes'  like  roUin' 
off  er  log,  —  no  trouble  to  speak  of,  —  proud  to  do 
it,  —  call  agin  if  you  want  more,  —  latch-string 
allers  out,  —  glad  to  'commodate  !  Yo'  damned 
little  cuss ! "  And  he  wrung  Tom's  hand  and 
slapped  his  back  in  evidence  of  real  pleasure. 
Cal  Clay  had  found  a  man  whom  he  could  wor- 
ship and  follow  with  blind  loyalty,  while  Tom 
secured  a  henchman  exactly  suited  to  his  needs. 

Cal  canvassed  the  county  during  February, 
and  wherever  he  went  he  told  the  story  of  a 
"  damned  little  cuss  in  Thompson's  Cove  that 
licked  Big  Cal  in  a  minute,  jes'  to  take  the  cramp 
outer  his  arms  ;  and  here's  six  bits  as  says  he  can 
beat  the  business  end  of  the  wust  mule  in  Brett." 

Cal  Clay  was  elected  sheriff  by  a  large  ma- 
jority over  Joe  McCall,  the  opposing  candidate, 
and  he  and  Tom  betook  themselves  to  Brettville 
on  the  first  of  April,  —  the  sheriff  to  his  official 
duties,  and  Tom  to  plan  how  to  become  coroner, 
and,  incidentally,  to  practise  his  profession. 


CHAPTER   XII 

THE    C0UI!^TY    TOWN 

Brettville  was  not  a  large  town.  The  Cen- 
sus Bureau  credited  it  with  one  hundred  and 
ninety-three  inhabitants,  but  the  citizens  accused 
the  Bureau  of  injustice,  and  claimed  that  an  im- 
partial count  would  show  at  least  two  hundred. 
It  had  no  architectural  adornments,  but  was 
dilapidated  and  ramshackle  to  a  degree,  with 
the  possible  exception  of  the  "  coht  "-house,  the 
"  hotel,"  and  the  "  residence  "  of  Major  Brett. 

The  court-house  was  in  the  centre  of  a  square, 
around  the  four  sides  of  which  the  village  clus- 
tered. It  was  a  square  frame  building  of  two 
stories,  the  lower  one  bisected  in  each  direction 
by  a  broad  hall,  which  found  a  terminus,  at  each 
cardinal  point,  in  a  wide  door  ;  thus  giving  im- 
partial and  free  entrance  and  exit  to  feuds  or 
factions  from  four  points  of  the  compass. 

The  rooms  on  the  ground  floor  were  used  by 
the  county  officers,  of  whom  the  judge,  the 
sheriff,  and  the  treasurer  were  the  most  impor- 
tant. The  second  story  was  undivided.  It  was 
the  "  coht  "-room  proper,  as  well  as  the  gather- 
ing hall  for  meetings  of  all  kinds.     In  the  base- 


84  DOCTOR  TOM 

ment  was  a  corner,  guarded  by  heavy  doors  and 
barred  windows,  "  for  the  criminal  classes,  suh," 
as  Colonel  Brett  was  wont  to  say.  But  it  was 
rarely  used,  for  the  incarceration  of  mountain 
men  was  not  a  habit  in  Brett. 

The  hotel  was  square,  also,  with  a  dilapidated 
covered  porch  across  its  front,  and  an  extension 
in  its  rear. 

Major  Brett's  residence  was  somewhat  larger 
than  its  neighbors,  and  it  derived  distinction  less 
from  its  size  than  from  the  tradition  that  it  had 
once  been  painted.  Proof  of  the  paint  had  long 
since  passed  away,  but  the  tradition  had  grown 
into  an  article  of  faith  which  carried  conviction 
regardless  of  evidence. 

Across  the  street  from  the  hotel,  with  its  side 
windows  giving  on  to  the  side  and  extension  of 
that  building,  and  its  front  facing  the  court-house, 
was  a  saloon,  kept  by  Abe  McCall,  son  of  Mike 
McCall,  whose  cabin  was  near  the  siding.  Abe 
was  of  the  clan  of  Macs  by  blood  and  instinct, 
but  his  interests  required  a  state  of  armed  neu- 
trality, which  he  proclaimed  and  maintained  with 
persistent  impartiality,  much  to  the  regret  of  his 
kin,  —  for  Abe  was  doughty  and  a  world  power, 
so  far  as  the  Brett  world  extended. 

The  rooms  above  Abe's  saloon  were  empty,  and 
Tom  secured  them  for  his  office  and  Hying  rooms, 
and  boarded  at  the  hotel.  The  rooms  were  large, 
and  more  comfortable  than  he  expected  to  find. 
The  front  one  looked  with  three  windows  on  the 


THE  COUNTY   TOWN  86 

court-house  square,  the  middle  one  gave  two 
toward  the  hotel,  while  the  rear  room,  the  larg- 
est, looked  with  two  eyes  at  the  hotel  and  with 
two  others  into  the  back  yard,  which  was  un- 
fenced  and  disreputable.  Two  flights  of  narrow 
stairs,  one  from  the  street  and  one  from  the  back 
yard,  gave  access  to  these  rooms,  which  all  opened 
off  the  hall  that  joined  the  stair-heads. 

Jack  Raymond  sent  an  invoice  of  furniture, 
which  made  the  quarters  comfortable,  though  far 
from  elegant.  The  most  important  items  were 
two  strong  three-quarter  bedsteads  and  their 
equipments,  w^hich  were  set  up  in  the  large  rear 
room.  This  double  provision  was  made  because 
Tom  intended  to  ask  the  sheriff  to  bear  him 
company  in  his  new  quarters.  Big  Cal  was 
"  pleased  to  death  "  with  tlie  arrangement,  and, 
while  he  was  proud  of  his  square  office  in  the 
court-house,  he  loved  the  rooms  above  the  saloon 
because  they  were  Tom's,  and  he  thought  them 
the  most  gorgeously  furnished  of  any  in  the 
world  —  as,  indeed,  they  were,  in  his  world.  It 
was  the  sheriff  who  procured  a  large  board,  and, 
after  painting  in  sprawling  letters  on  both  sides 
(though  we  must  admit  that  one  side  read  back- 
ward) this  legend. 

Dr.  Tom  Hekdricks,  M.D. 

nailed  it  on  the  corner  of  the  saloon,  from  which 
it  projected  nearly  six  feet  in  longitude,  while  its 
latitude  was  well  above  the  heads  of  passers-by. 


86  DOCTOR  TOM 

Cal  greatly  admired  this  work  of  his  hands,  and 
he  rarely  entered  the  stairway  without  first 
stopping  to  spell  out  the  legend ;  and  he  seemed 
to  find  no  more  difficulty  with  one  side  than  with 
the  other,  which  may  be  credited  to  his  versatil- 
ity. Tom,  too,  showed  impartiality,  and  his 
friend  never  knew  that  his  work  did  not  con- 
form to  general  usage.  The  third  occupant  of 
these  rooms  must  not  be  neglected.  The  day 
before  Tom  left  Thompson's  Cove,  Sis  said :  — 

"I  want  yo'  to  take  Ham  with  yo'.  Cousin 
Tom." 

"  I  should  love  to.  Sis,  but  you'd  miss  him 
dreadfully." 

"  I  want  yo'  to  take  him." 

"  But  what  will  you  do.  Sis,  without  him  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  and  the  girl's  lip  quivered  a 
little  ;  "  but  I  want  yo'  to  take  him.  Yo'  must 
take  him,  Cousin  Tom,  for  me,"  and  the  brown 
eyes  looked  as  though  they  would  overflow. 

"  All  right.  Sis,  I'll  take  Ham,  and  he  shall  run 
errands  for  us.  You  must  make  a  little  pocket 
on  the  inside  of  his  collar,  and  every  few  days 
I'll  slip  a  note  into  it,  saying  :  '  Dear  Cousin  Sis : 
I  am  well  and  happy,  and  hope  these  few  lines 
will  find  you  the  same.'  And  I'll  say,  'Ham, 
take  that  to  my  pretty  cousin  and  bring  me  a 
letter  in  return.'  And  Ham'U  know  what  I  say, 
and  he'll  gallop  over  the  mountain  in  twenty 
minutes,  and  you'll  hug  and  kiss  him  for  pay. 
When  you've  had  a  good  visit  with  him,  you'll 


THE   COUNTY   TOWN  87 

slip  a  dear  little  note  into  the  pocket,  saying  : 
'  Old  Tom,  I  don't  swear,  not  never ;  and  I  don't 
throw  things  much,  —  only  sometimes ;  and  I 
write  every  day  when  my  fingers  don't  cramp, 
and  Shem  and  Japhet  are  well,  likewise  dad 
and  maw,  and  I  love  you,  old  cousin,  next  to 
Ham,'  and  you'll  say, '  Take  that  to  Tom.'  We'll 
have  a  free  rural  delivery,  Sis,  without  the  aid  of 
Uncle  Sam." 

So  Ham  had  a  rug  in  the  middle  room,  and 
was  a  respected  member  of  the  trio. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

THE     WINNING     OF     THE     MAJOR 

"  Before  Brett  was,  I  am,"  was  the  sentiment 
of  the  family  which  gave  its  name  to  the  county, 
and  w^hich  furnished  generations  of  men  who 
supported  with  honor  and  dignity  the  title  of 
high-spirited  southern  gentlemen.  Wealth,  in 
moderate  degree,  had  been  theirs  at  all  times,  and, 
although  considerably  reduced  by  the  sacrifices 
and  the  consequences  of  the  war,  it  was  still 
abundant  for  the  simple  wants  of  its  possessors. 

The  title  to  much  land,  on  mountain  side  and 
in  valley,  still  vested  in  the  name  of  Brett,  and 
not  a  few  planters  made  their  crops  under  the 
shadow  of  small  mortgages  wdiich  bore  the  same 
name.  The  Bretts  had  been  easy  creditors  through 
all  their  generations,  and  some  of  these  mort- 
gages were  nearly  as  old  as  the  county,  having 
descended  from  father  to  son  with  the  acres  and, 
in  many  cases,  with  the  accumulations  of  back 
interest.  In  favorable  years,  wdien  crops  were 
good,  a  small  interest  was  cheerfully  paid,  and 
when  the  crop  was  not  good,  it  was  as  cheerfully 
passed.  Whether  it  was  paid  or  passed,  every 
tenth  year  was    jubilee  to  the  debtors,  for  the 

8S 


THE   WINNING   OF  THE   MAJOR  89 

reigning  Brett  wiped  the  slate  clean  and  estab- 
lished new  credits  with  all.  The  reigning  Brett 
was  also  hereditary  banker ;  and  the  banking 
methods  were  no  more  subject  to  change  than 
was  the  banker  himself.  In  the  original  bank 
the  system  was  of  the  simplest,  and  it  had  not 
been  altered.  In  an  antique  safe,  which  was 
only  safe  by  courtesy,  a  carefully  folded  paper 
held  the  individual  deposit  of  each  customer, 
with  the  name  of  the  depositor  and  the  amount 
deposited  carefully  inscribed  thereon.  When 
money  was  drawn,  the  customer  received  such 
portion  as  he  desired  of  the  identical  funds  which 
he  had  deposited  and,  after  the  subtrahend  had 
been  taken  from  the  minuend,  he  affixed  his 
name  or  mark  to  the  remainder,  as  shown  on  the 
enveloping  paper.  An  unvarying  rule  of  the  bank 
was  that  all  change  must  be  made  from  the  in- 
dividual package. 

The  principle  of  banking,  as  understood  in  the 
mountains,  is  that  a  depositor  is  entitled  to  his 
own  money  without  the  risk  of  chance  or  acci- 
dent, which  might,  and  which  sometimes  does, 
follow  indiscriminate  mixing  with  other  people's 
money.  This  might  be  called  a  safety-deposit 
rather  than  a  banking  system,  though  it  depended 
for  its  safety  entirely  upon  public  sentiment. 
A  mountain  man  would  be  as  little  likely  to  crack 
the  fragile  safe  that  stood  for  the  bank,  as  would 
be  a  devout  Catholic  to  pillage  the  golden  chalice 
from  which  his  lips  had  just  tasted  the  sacrament. 


90  DOCTOR  TOM 

Major  T.  Jefferson  Brett  reigned  now  as  grand 
seigneur  and  banker,  and  he  was  a  worthy  de- 
scendant of  a  worthy  race,  albeit  the  last  of  the 
male  line.  He  was  small,  neat,  and  dapper, 
punctilious  to  the  extreme,  a  pepper-pod  in 
temper,  a  duellist  of  note  and  on  small  provoca- 
tion, a  court  of  final  appeal  on  all  points  of 
honor,  and  withal,  or  in  spite  of  all,  a  kind, 
courteous,  and  lovable  gentleman.  He  took 
early  opportunity  to  meet  Doctor  Tom,  and 
formally  presented  his  card,  the  only  one  in  the 
mountains,  in  the  bar-room  of  the  hotel,  on  the 
second  day  after  Tom's  arrival. 

« I  am  sorry.  Major  Brett,  that  I  am  not  able 
to  return  my  card.  I  have  found  so  little  use 
for  it  of  late  that  I  have  grown  careless  about 
carrying  it.  My  name  is  Tom  Hendricks  ;  I  was 
born  in  Maryland,  and  picked  up  most  of  my 
education  in  Baltimore." 

«  I  am  sincerely  glad  to  meet  a  gentleman  of 
your  name  and  lineage,  suh.  Colonel  Jackson 
Hendricks  of  Virginia,  suh,  was  a  dear  friend  and 
compatriot  of  mine,  and  I  make  no  doubt  you 
are  his  kin,  suh  ?  " 

"  I  fear.  Major,  I  may  not  claim  that  honor. 
My  family  dropped  down  from  New"  England  to 
Maryland  about  fifty  years  ago,  and  my  kin,  if  I 
have  any  outside  of  Thompson's  Cove,  are  still 
north  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line." 

"  It  grieves  me  to  hear  it,  young  man.  I  had 
hoped  to  find  in  you  a  congenial  southern  gentle- 


THE   WINNING   OF   THE  MAJOR  91 

man,  from  whose  acquaintance  I  could  gain  both 
profit  and  pleasure.  I  am  disappointed,  suh,  — 
greatly  disappointed,"  and  the  Major's  eyes  grew 
stern  as  they  inventoried  the  stranger. 

"Can  we  not  meet  on  neutral  ground,  Major? 
Surely  there  are  quantities  of  things  of  more  vital 
interest  than  sectional  differences,"  said  Tom,  in 
tones  of  conciliation. 

"  I  do  not  know  what  you  mean  by  neutral 
ground,  suh.  I  do  not  recognize  a  state  of  neu- 
trality, suh,  where  great  principles  are  at  stake. 
I  don't  like  your  attitude,  young  man ;  I  may 
say  that  I  seriously  object  to  it,  suh,"  and  a  flush 
showed  on  the  little  man's  neck  and  crept  up 
into  his  cheeks. 

"  Sorry,  Major,  but  you  can  hardly  expect  me 
to  change  it  simply  because  it  doesn't  please 
you."  Tom's  manner  was  less  courteous,  and  he 
turned  from  his  companion. 

"  <  Simply,'  suh,  '  simply  '  !  The  word  is  ob- 
jectionable !  Damme,  suh,  it  is  offensive,  and  I 
ask  satisfaction,  suh  !  Are  you  armed  ?  "  And 
Major  Brett  placed  himself  squarely  in  front  of 
Tom  and  glared  up  into  his  face  with  belligerent 
eyes. 

« I  have  a  gun  in  my  pocket,"  said  Tom,  fall- 
ing cool  again. 

"  I  regret  to  say,  suh,  that  I  am  at  this 
moment  unarmed,"  said  the  Major,  with  the 
punctilious  politeness  of  a  true  sportsman  who 
recognized  the  nobility  of  the  game  he  stalked. 


92  DOCTOR  TOM 

« I  will,  however,  remedy  the  oversight  by  at 
once  proceeding  to  my  residence  and  securing  my 
favorite  weapon,  —  a  navy  revolver,  suh,  pattern 
of  1858,  —  with  which  I  am  very  familiar.  If 
you  will  do  me  the  honor,  suh,  to  step  into  the 
middle  of  the  street,  as  you  see  me  emerge  from 
my  gate,  we  may  commence  firing  at  will,  suh." 

"  All  right.  Major,  I  will  come  out,"  said  Tom, 
in  cheerful  assent. 

The  Major,  with  great  dignity  for  so  small  a 
man,  left  the  room,  but  the  door  was  hardly 
closed  before  it  was  again  opened  and  he  stood 
on  the  threshold, 

"  I  forgot  to  inform  you,  suh,  that  the  ex- 
treme distance  from  this  door  to  my  gate  is  one 
hundred  and  three  yards,  suh.  I  bid  you  good 
evening,  suh." 

As  Major  Brett  « emerged "  from  his  gate, 
Tom  stepped  into  the  middle  of  the  street,  re- 
volver in  hand,  and  slowly  advanced  toward  the 
veteran,  who,  .with  stately  strides  for  his  brief 
legs,  was  carefully  counting  his  paces.  When 
twenty-five  had  been  told  off,  the  doughty  major 
halted,  brought  his  heels  together,  raised  his  big 
gun  to  the  level  of  his  eye,  took  deliberate  aim, 
and  fired  at  his  antagonist,  who  had  also 
promptly  halted.  The  bullet  flew  high  above 
Tom's  head  and  sang  a  harmless  song  in  the  air. 

«  Line  shot.  Major  Brett,  but  high  !  I'm  only 
six  feet  tall ! "  said  Tom,  as  his  Smith  &  Wes- 
son cracked  sharp  and  the  bullet  caused  a  swal- 


THE  WINNING  OF  THE  MAJOR  93 

low  that  was  skimming  the  sky  above  him  to 
swerve  in  its  flight. 

The  men  then  advanced  and,  when  the  Major 
had  counted  ten  formal  paces,  he  stopped  and,  with 
the  same  punctilio,  again  fired  point  blank  at  Tom. 

"  Better,  Major  !  Much  better  !  A  good  nine 
o'clock !  You  don't  make  allowance  for  the 
wind,"  and  again  Tom's  bullet  sought  the  air. 

"  Damn  you,  suh,  will  you  condescend  to  shoot 
in  my  direction  ?  "  shouted  the  Major,  indignantly. 

"  Certainly  not,  my  dear  Major,  for  if  I  did,  I 
should  hit  you,"  said  Tom,  blandly. 

"  By  gad,  suh,  I  cannot  execute  the  duello 
alone ! "  and  the  Major's  gun  fell  to  the  ground. 
"  You  are  a  gallant  and  courteous  gentleman, 
suh,  and  I  shall  be  honored,  suh,  if  you  will  take 
my  hand,"  and  the  little  fighter  advanced  with 
extended  hand  toward  the  man  at  whom  he  had 
so  recently  fired. 

Tom  gladly  took  the  proffered  hand.  He  had 
won  the  heart  of  this  high-spirited  gentleman, 
who  carried  more  influence  than  any  other  man 
in  Brett,  and  he  counted  the  price  as  nothing. 

"  I  shall  be  proud,  suh,  to  act  with  j^ou  in  any 
matters  of  business  or  in  any  questions  of  honor, 
suh,  at  any  time.  Command  me,  suh ! "  and, 
with  a  stately  bow,  Major  Brett  turned  to  his 
residence,  where  he  met  and  tenderly  embraced 
"  my  only  offspring,  suh,"  as  he  was  wont  to 
designate  the  handsome,  well-set-up  girl  who 
warmly  returned  his  greeting. 


94  DOCTOR  TOM 

Cora  Brett  was  the  only  pure  blonde  in  the 
county.  Her  hair  should  have  hung  from  the 
head  of  a  Gretchen  or  a  Marguerite,  and  her  eyes 
were  blue  enough  and  her  skin  fair  enough  to 
have  made  either  of  those  Rhenish  frauleins 
proud.  She  had  enjoyed  the  advantages  of  a 
year  at  a  young  ladies'  school  in  Nashville,  and 
had  returned  to  Brettville,  shortly  after  her 
twentieth  birthday,  to  carry  the  county  by  storm 
and  to  destroy  the  peace  of  mind  of  most  of  the 
young  men  in  the  mountains.  Much  of  this 
devotion  was  hers  by  right  of  birth  and  beauty, 
as  well  as  by  reason  of  better  education,  more 
gracious  manner,  and  a  wider  knowledge  of  the 
world,  —  for  had  she  not  been  to  Nashville  ? 


CHAPTER    XIV 

DOCTOR    TOM    MAKES    FRIENDS 

The  advent  of  Doctor  Tom  Hendricks  into 
Brettville  was  sensational.  Certainly  not  since 
the  close  of  the  "  wah,"  when  Major  Brett 
returned  to  his  own,  had  the  arrival  of  any  man 
given  cause  for  so  much  comment,  or  aroused 
such  a  flutter  of  excitement  among  the  torpid 
inhabitants  of  that  dull  village.  That  there  was 
one  addition  to  the  adult  population  was  a 
source  of  congratulation  to  the  public-spirited ; 
and  that  the  addition  was  permanent  was  pro- 
visionally accepted.  Whether  an  addition  to  the 
population  was  permanent  depended  upon  con- 
tingencies which  were  subject  to  strange  varia- 
tions, usually  of  an  emotional  nature,  and  which 
could  not  be  foreseen.  Of  one  fact  the  pub- 
lic felt  sure,  and  that,  as  voiced  by  Major 
Brett,  was,  "  Very  few  individuals  leave  Brett- 
ville, suh,  excepting  for  causes  over  which  they 
have  no  control." 

The  acknowledged  friendship  and  admiration 
of  the  big  sheriff  w^as  a  strong  factor  in  Tom's 
favor,  and  when,  after  the  second  day,  Major 
Brett  remarked  :  "  He  is  a  gallant  and  courteous 

85 


96  DOCTOR  TOM 

gentleman,  suh,  whom  I  shall  be  proud  to  second 
in  any  matter  of  business  or  in  any  question  of 
honor,"  his  position  as  a  "  permanent "  was 
reasonably  secure. 

Besides  adding  to  the  population,  Tom's 
advent  "  increased  the  circulating  medium  to  no 
inconsiderable  extent,"  as  banker  Brett  declared, 
for  he  paid  cash  for  rent  and  board,  and  for  a 
surprising  amount  of  laundry,  and  he  also 
bought  a  mare,  which  was  stabled  by  the  hotel 
at  six  bits  a  week.  He  showed  his  public  spirit 
by  rebuilding  the  horse-rail  which  surrounded 
the  court-house,  and  which  had  become  so  thin 
and  wasted  as  to  furnish  but  meagre  forage 
for  the  patient  animals  that  mournfully  grazed 
thereon. 

With  these  accessories,  his  personal  appear- 
ance, and  a  rumor  that  he  "  washed  hisself 
a'most  every  day,  and  sometimes  twict,"  it  was 
not  strange  that  the  new  doctor  caused  a  flutter 
among  the  women  folk  at  Brettville.  Older 
ones  found  infirmities,  heretofore  unknown  or 
merely  suspected,  to  present  to  him  for  his  pro- 
fessional encouragement,  while  younger  ones 
adorned  themselves  for  his  personal  benefit.  It 
was  not  long,  therefore,  before  the  good-will  of 
the  population  was  divided  between  the  little 
Major,  the  big  sheriff,  and  the  new  doctor,  with 
perhaps  a  shade  of  popularity  in  favor  of  the  last. 

Tom's  renown  did  not  reach  its  limit  in  Brett- 
ville.    In  a  short  time  it  extended  to  the  utter- 


DOCTOR  TOM  MAKES  FRIENDS  97 

most  borders  of  the  county,  and  it  grew  in  direct 
ratio  as  it  receded  from  its  point  of  origin.  Mar- 
vellous stories  were  found  in  the  mouths  of  the 
mountain  men  of  a  "  strange  medicine  man  who 
cured  Abe  McCall's  hoss  of  the  bots,  licked  the 
big  sheriff,  put  suthin'  in  your  arm  to  keep  off 
the  smallpox,  fit  the  Major  till  he  dropped  his  gun, 
knocked  rheumatiz  higher'n  a  mountin,  whistled 
the  birds  off  the  trees,  and  didn't  drink  a  damned 
drop  of  mountain  dew,"  until  nothing  seemed 
improbable  to  these  credulous  folk,  when  told  of 
the  stranger,  except  "  that  damned  lie  about  his 
not  takin'  no  whiskey." 

As  his  renown  increased,  so  did  the  demands 
upon  his  time ;  and  before  midsummer  his  mare 
was  known  on  every  hillside  and  his  whistle  was 
heard  in  every  valley,  as  he  rode,  night  or  day, 
on  kindly  deeds  intent,  in  broad  sweeps  through 
the  county  of  Brett.  While  allied  by  blood  and 
sympathy  with  the  nations  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  county,  Tom  knew  no  feud  or  section 
when  professional  ethics  were  involved  or  when 
human  suffering  was  at  stake.  A  sufferer  was 
a  patient  to  him,  whether  Mac  or  Reardon ;  a 
patient  was  one  who  needed  him,  and,  in  the 
mind  of  this  modest  doctor,  to  need  him  was  to 
call  for  the  best  that  was  in  Tom  Hendricks. 

Tom's  days  were  not  all  given  to  the  afflicted. 
Brett  was  a  thinly  populated  county,  and  the 
mountain  folk,  if  not  healthy,  rarely  knew  that 
they  were  ill,  and  still  more  rarely  called  for  aid. 

9 


98  DOCTOR  TOM 

In  physical  suffering  they  were  patient  to  a 
degree  that  surprised  this  tender-hearted  physi- 
cian, and  caused  him  to  give  prompt  and  sympa- 
thetic attention  whenever  his  aid  was  asked. 
This  kindly  sympathy  and  untiring  service, 
which  were  both  natural  and  professional  with 
Tom,  drew  the  hearts  out  of  the  breasts  of  these 
simple  folk  as  with  new  ropes ;  for  while  kindli- 
ness was  twin  sister  to  the  mountains,  gracious 
manners  and  sympathetic  expression  were  new- 
born to  them.  Tom  won  the  heart  of  the  moun- 
tains without  conscious  effort ;  but  so  close  set 
was  the  hedge  of  modesty  that  walled  him,  that 
he  was  the  last  to  realize  it.  Other  hearts,  both 
tender  and  turbulent,  were  drawn  to  this  dreamy- 
eyed,  unconscious  altruist ;  but  his  simple  mind 
did  not  know  the  havoc  he  wrought,  and  he 
trod  the  mill  of  his  daily  life  with  no  thought 
but  of  the  work  in  hand ;  while  under  the  stars 
he  dreamed  the  dream  of  his  modest  ambition,  — 
to  be  coroner  of  Brett,  and  to  quench  the  fires  of 
the  vendetta. 

A  vision  of  red-brown  flitted  into  his  dreams 
when  they  were  brightest,  but  this  vision  was  so 
intangible  and  so  far  removed  that  he  must  not 
even  hope  to  see  it  take  form.  Perhaps  it  was 
this  vision  in  red-brown  that  blinded  his  eyes  to 
Cora  Brett's  many  charms,  as  well  as  to  the 
evident  impress  he  had  made  on  her  turbulent 
heart.  Tom  and  the  Major  were  the  only  ones 
who    were    blind    to    Miss    Cora's    infatuation. 


DOCTOR  TOM  MAKES  FRIENDS  99 

Tliey  saw  naught  but  good-fellowship  and  com- 
radery  in  her  unremitting  efforts  to  be  near  the 
man  she  adored,  as  they  also  found  naught  but 
freakishness  and  girlish  versatility  in  her  periods 
of  alternating  elation  and  depression.  The 
Major  was  paternally  near-sighted,  while  Tom 
was  confessedly  defective  in  his  knowledge  of 
womankind.  When  his  gray  eyes  looked  upon 
Cora  Brett,  she  "acquired  merit"  in  them,  for 
she  was  fair  to  see ;  but  the  gray  eyes  looked 
beyond  her  so  long  and  so  often  that  the  poor 
girl  found  scant  reason  for  hope,  and  her  seasons 
of  depression  were  many. 

The  Major  depended  greatly  upon  Tom  for 
social  enjoyment,  and  held  him  as  close  to  his 
"  residence  "  as  it  was  practicable  to  keep  a  busy 
doctor  and  a  meditative  man,  —  for  Tom  must 
needs  spend  much  time  alone  "  to  look  within 
his  chest."  Doctor  Tom  returned  this  hospital- 
ity in  frank  confession  of  friendship  for  the 
Major,  brotherly  admiration  for  Cora,  and  cor- 
dial good-fellowship  for  both  ;  but  he  declined 
many  urgent  appeals  from  each,  that  he  might 
have  more  time  with  his  dearer  friend,  Cal  Clay. 

Tom  Hendricks  and  the  big  sheriff  were  fast 
friends.  Their  dissimilarities  were  as  the  sands 
of  the  sea,  but,  like  the  sands,  they  adjusted 
themselves  with  mutual  comfort  and  support ; 
and  their  similitude  was  one,  —  a  desire  to  keep 
clean  in  body  and  in  mind.  This  was  instinct 
in  both,  and  neither  claimed  credit  for  the  wish 


100  DOCTOR  TOM 

or  the  effort,  which  were  as  much  matters  of 
pride  as  of  grace.  The  sheriff  had  been  notorious 
through  the  borders  of  Brett  hardly  more  for 
his  fearlessness  of  men  than  for  his  courage  in 
facing  water;  and,  while  his  methods  were  crude, 
he  accomplished  his  aim  by  attacking  repeatedly 
every  pool  or  branch  that  crossed  his  path.  The 
magnificent,  uncultivated  body  of  the  sheriff  pre- 
sented a  grand  field  for  personal  husbandry,  and 
Tom  ploughed  it  with  boxing  gloves  and  har- 
rowed it  with  wrestling  mat  until  it  was  fit. 

« I  wouldn't  have  such  an  easy  time  with  you 
now,  Cal ;  you're  a  corker,"  said  Tom,  after  a 
bout  fiercer  than  usual. 

"  Yo'  can  lick  me  easy  yet,  Tom  ;  and  if  we- 
uns  ever  fight  and  yo'  don't  lick  me,  I  will  cry, 
shore,"  said  the  giant. 

The  field  of  Cal's  mind  was  still  more  fallow, 
and  it  was  Tom's  pleasure  to  work  it  gently  and 
to  sow  small  seeds  therein,  for  the  soil  w^as  fer- 
tile. Cal  commenced  to  think,  and  as  this  new 
activity  took  hold  upon  him,  he  joyed  in  it  as  in 
physical  effort,  though  he  said,  "  it's  a  heap  more 
wearin'  and  makes  yo'  want  to  sleep." 

The  sheriff  slept  "by  the  ton,"  but  his  friend 
would  often  turn  him  out  in  the  middle  of  the 
night  to  walk  in  the  moonlight,  or,  still  better, 
under  the  stars.  Few  words  were  used  in  these 
walks,  which  seemed  objectless  and  which  led 
nowhere,  but  they  were  none  the  less  enjoyed  by 
the  trio,  —  for  Ham  took  an  active  part ;  and, 


DOCTOR  TOM  MAKES  FRIENDS  101 

when  they  terminated  at  a  pool,  there  was  stout 
splashing  of  water  and  a  whistling  duet  on  the 
return.  Ham  and  the  sheriff  were  on  equal 
terms  of  devotion  to  the  doctor ;  they  marked 
their  attachment  by  the  full  limit  of  their 
powers,  and  they  received,  in  turn,  the  quiet  love 
of  a  man  who  estimated  their  devotion,  each  in 
its  kind,  by  the  measure  of  its  unselfishness,  — 
they  were  entirely  dependable. 


CHAPTER   XV 

RUTH    RAYMOND    TO    TOM    HENDRICKS 

«  Dear  Doctor  Tom  :  Although  I  have  not  yet 
'  thought  things  out,'  you  are,  perhaps,  entitled  to 
a  partial  report ;  at  least  I  wish  to  write  you,  and 
that  settles  your  title  beyond  question.  Some 
mountain  air  is  still  in  my  lungs,  —  <  residual,'  I 
suppose  you  would  name  it,  but  I  reject  your 
technicality  and  call  it  'vital,'  for  at  times  a 
quick  breath  gives  me  a  sense  as  of  pines  or 
steep  trail  or  winding  branch  or  Ham's  eyes  or 
many  things  that  are  far  removed  from  my  con- 
vention-bound world.  I  suspect  that  my  world 
is  the  more  comfortable  to  live  in,  but  yours 
should  be  visited  occasionally,  and  dreamed  of 
often,  for  it  makes  one  take  a  fresh  grip  on 
some  of  the  questions  which  are  not  settled  by 
revelation. 

"  I  am  awfully  interested  in  your  mission,  and 
I  shall  be  delighted  to  play  the  little  part  which 
you  have  assigned  me  ;  but  I  cannot  help  wonder- 
ing if  I  shall  be  really  doing  good  or  just  preening 
myself  in  the  thought  that  I  am.  I  love  Sis 
dearly  ;  I  want  her  for  all  sorts  of  selfish  reasons, 
and  I  am  going  to  have  her,  but  I  am  honest 

102 


RUTH   RAYMOND  TO   TOM   HENDRICKS     103 

enough  to  ask,  '  Is  it  for  Sis,  or  is  it  for  me  ? ' 
I  shall  get  comfort,  pleasure,  and  profit  from  her 
(she  is  so  new  from  nature  that  she  will  be  daily 
food),  but  what  can  I  do  for  her  in  return,  be- 
yond smoothing  her  angles  and  increasing  her 
needs  ?  Wisdom  cannot  make  her  more  honest, 
cultivation  more  generous,  or  refinement  more 
brave,  for  she  is  at  the  summit ;  and  is  there 
much,  that  is  worth  while,  to  be  added  to 
honesty,  courage,  and  generosity  ?  I  do  not 
know ;  do  you,  wise  Doctor  Tom  ? 

"  This  is  my  plan  for  Sis :  she  is  not  to  go  to 
school,  —  it  would  not  be  pleasant  for  her,  for  a 
time,  —  but  she  is  to  have  a  wise  instructor  in  my 
house.  I  need  not  say  that  this  wise  instructor 
will  not  '  partake  of  the  nature  of  a  governess ' 
(unless  I  can  fit  Sis  out  d  la  Romulus  and  Remus), 
but  will  be  friend,  companion,  teacher,  mentor, 
and  I  will  be  her  understudy.  Sis  will  be  younger 
sister  of  the  house,  with  all  the  advantages  and 
all  the  limitations  which  the  position  carries,  and 
we  will  love  her  and  spoil  her  very  much. 

"Jack  talks  of  'running  down  to  the  moun- 
tains '  in  early  October ;  may  I  come,  too,  please, 
Doctor  Tom,  and  fetch  Sis  home  with  me  ?  The 
less  you  know  of  my  daily  life,  the  greater  will 
be  your  opportunity  for  idealizing  it ;  and,  as  this 
is  what  I  much  desire,  I  shall  give  you  no  hint  of 
its  uselessness. 

"When  you  go  to  Thompson's  Cove,  will  you 
carry  my  love  to  the  kindly  patriarch  who  lives 


104  DOCTOR  TOM 

there  and  who  doesn't  know  how  good  he  is,  and 
to  Aunt  Hat  and  the  boys  ?  I  send  to  Sis  by 
regular  post.  One  of  the  boys,  Jake,  I  think 
you  call  him,  —  the  one  with  the  lurid  eyes  and 
given  to  self-imprecation,  —  has  a  distinct  fascina- 
tion for  me.  There  is  a  small  volcano  in  his  breast 
which  will  sometime  become  active  ;  I  hope  I  may 
view  the  eruption,  for  it  will  be  out  of  the  usual ; 
he  will  either  help  the  reformation  or  run  amuck, 
—  one  cannot  foretell. 

"  I  know  that  you  are  doing  good  work,  what- 
ever it  may  be ;  for  Jack  says  it  is  your  '  habit,' 
and  habit  is  a  chain  that  binds  for  either  good  or 
bad,  impartially.  Can't  you  write  me  something 
about  it,  for  life  is  not  eventful  with  your  friend, 

"Ruth  Raymond." 

"P.S.  Do  you  remember  (but  of  course  you 
do  not)  the  reptile  which  gave  you  the  oppor- 
tunity of  knowing  how  much,  or  how  little,  I 
weigh?  I  have  not  forgotten  his  snakeship, 
possibly  for  the  reason  that  I  have  a  daily  re- 
minder. Before  Sis  left  the  car,  she  put  a 
package  into  my  hand,  saying,  '  Yo'  '11  want  that, 
shore,'  and  I  did.  When  we  opened  the  paper,  a 
string  of  nine  thin,  hard  shells  fell  to  the  floor 
with  a  rattling  sound.  '  That's  the  tail  of  a 
rattler,  and  a  big  one,'  said  Jack.  Well,  I  kept 
the  specimen,  and  it  now  hangs  impaled  on  a 
black  velvet  ribbon ;  and,  when  things  are  go- 
ing wrong  with  me  and  life  doesn't  seem  worth 


KUTH  BAYMOND  TO  TOM  HEKBRlCKS    105 

while,  I  make  small  pilgrimages  to  this  shrine, 
and  I  never  get  more  than  half  through  my 
novena  before  there  is  a  sound  of  locusts  in 
the  air,  I  feel  the  grasp  of  strong  hands  at  my 
waist,  and  I  am  lifted  above  danger  and  trouble, 
oh,  so  surely.  I  do  not  much  care.  Doctor  Tom, 
if  you  do  know  what  my  weight  is,  for  it  is  as 
nothing  compared  with  my  pride,  when  I  write 
myself 

"  Your  friend." 


CHAPTER   XVI 

THE    CONVENTION 

With  the  little  Major,  the  big  sheriff,  and  the 
heart  of  the  mountains  at  his  back,  Tom's  nomi- 
nation to  the  office  of  coroner  was  but  a  for- 
mality. No  part  of  this  formality,  however, 
could  be  dispensed  with,  for  the  mountaineers 
are  punctilious,  and  he  wished  to  enter  the  office 
with  as  large  a  following  as  possible.  He  be- 
lieved that  much  of  the  lawlessness  which  was 
rampant  in  the  county  could  be  traced  to  the 
absence  of  the  proper  legal  machinery  for  control- 
ling it,  and  that  the  battle  would  be  more  than 
half  won  if  a  large  majority  of  the  citizens 
would  willingly  agree  to  place  the  office  in  the 
hands  of  a  man  who  was  not  likely  to  funk  it. 
It  had  always  been  easy  enough  to  elect  a  coro- 
ner, for  the  honor  was  willingly  conferred ;  but 
the  duties  which  belonged  to  the  position  were 
the  causes  of  offence,  and  these  were  so  dis- 
agreeable in  the  nostrils  of  the  mountain  men 
that  no  one  had  coveted  the  office  for  thirty 
years.  Tom  believed  that  these  duties  would  be 
made  easier  if  he  could  get  a  tremendously  large 
vote  in  his  campaign ;  for  each  voter  would  be 

106 


THE  CONVENTION  107 

committed,  at  least  in  some  small  degree,  to  him 
personally,  and  to  the  side  of  law  and  order 
which  his  office  represented.  In  this,  as  in  other 
things,  no  thought  of  personal  consequences 
entered  the  mind  of  Doctor  Tom  ;  if  a  duty  was 
plain,  and  if  it  was  his,  the  mind  of  this  direct 
young  man  dropped  everything  speculative  and  the 
matter  became  at  once  concrete  and  imperative. 

The  convention  was  held  in  early  September, 
and  more  than  two  hundred  men,  bearded, 
solemn,  and  tall,  gathered  in  the  court-room  to 
do  honor  to  the  new  doctor,  or  to  gratify  their 
curiosity  to  see  the  unusual  man  "  what  wants  to 
be  coroner  o'  Brett." 

At  the  appointed  hour.  Major  Brett,  who  was 
hereditary  chairman,  called  the  convention  to 
order,  and  suggested  that  "  our  respected  fellow- 
townsman,  Judge  Pepper,  be  elected  secretary 
for  this  important  occasion."  This  was  done  by 
acclamation,  for  it  was  generally  known  that 
the  judge  could  write.  The  convention  having 
been  properly  organized,  the  Major  rose  with 
dignity,  thrust  his  left  hand  into  the  folds  of  his 
half-buttoned  coat,  and  said  :  — 

«  Fellow-citizens  :  I  am  pleased  to  meet  with 
you  on  this  auspicious  occasion,  and  I  am  proud 
to  be  permitted  to  preside  over  your  delibera- 
tions. I  call  the  occasion  '  auspicious '  because 
we  are  met  to  confer  honor  upon  a  young  gentle- 
man who,  though  a  comparative  stranger,  is  emi- 
nently worthy  of  the  high  position  to  which  he 


108  DOCTOR  TOM 

aspires ;  a  position,  I  may  say,  which  is  among 
the  proudest  gifts  that  may  be  conferred  by  the 
citizens  of  Brett  County.  I  refer  to  the  office  of 
coroner,  which  is  now  vacant. 

"  This  vacancy  has  persisted,  I  regret  to  say, 
for  several  years,  and  we  are  now  assembled  to 
remedy  the  oversight.  This  office  is  not  a 
sinecure,  in  the  general  acceptance  of  the  term, 
but  it  is  an  honorable  and  important  part  of  the 
legal  machinery  —  if  you  will  permit  me  to  use 
the  expression  —  of  a  well-organized  county.  It 
is  the  via,  the  wa}^  the  route,  by  which  certain 
portions  of  the  criminal  class  may  reach  the 
higher  court  which  is  so  eminently  presided  over 
by  my  esteemed  friend.  Judge  A.  Jackson  Pepper. 
The  importance  of  the  office  can  hardly  be  over- 
estimated, for,  during  its  abeyance,  I  have 
observed  a  growing  carelessness  —  not  to  say  an 
absolute  reprehensibleness  —  in  the  use  of  fire- 
arms, which,  if  long  continued,  will  bring  dis- 
credit upon  the  good  name  of  our  county. 

"  I  would  not  seem  to  speak  disparagingly  of 
the  use  of  firearms,  for  I  have  been  addicted  to 
them  from  my  youth  ;  but  they  have  their  abuses, 
and  it  is  upon  these  that  I  would  call  your  dis- 
approval. To  shoot  a  man  in  open  duello  is 
always  honorable,  and  it  may  even  be  beneficent ; 
but  neither  of  these  terms  can  be  applied  to 
stealthy  shot  or  ambuscado.  These  latter 
methods  of  adjusting  differences  are  what  we 
hope  to  mend  by  our  work   to-day,  and,  while 


THE  CONVENTION  109 

I  am  unable  to  forecast  the  future,  I  feel  as- 
sured that,  in  the  aspirant  for  this  office,  we 
shall  find  material  aid. 

"  I  may  remark,  in  passing,  that  the  last  three 
incumbents  held  but  short  and,  I  may  say, 
inglorious  tenure  of  office.  I  do  not,  however, 
apprehend  a  repetition  of  their  histories  in  the 
case  of  my  young  friend.  He  is  in  some  ways 
differently  situated.  During  his  brief  residence 
among  us,  he  has  formed  acquaintances  who 
would  not  see  him  driven  to  the  wall  without 
taking  some  part  —  some  active  part,  I  may  say 
—  in  his  defence. 

"  In  conclusion,  I  will  remark  that  the  aspir- 
ant for  this  office  has  a  gracious  manner  which  is 
hard  to  resist ;  a  suaviter  in  inodo  (if  I  may  bor- 
row from  the  classics)  which  will  go  far  toward 
disarming  opposition.  If,  however,  in  spite  of 
these  qualities,  which  are  wont  to  smooth  the 
asperities  of  life,  serious  difficulties  should  arise, 
I  shall  expect  my  young  friend  to  meet  them 
with  firmness ;  for  I  have  observed  in  his  char- 
acter a  fortitor  in  re  (again  I  have  recourse  to 
the  classics)  which  is  likely  to  carry  him  through. 
The  convention  is  now  ready  to  hear  the 
nomination." 

The  Major  was  hardl}^  seated  before  Big  Cal 
was  on  his  feet.  Mild  applause  (much  for  the 
mountains)  greeted  the  sheriff,  who  shook  him- 
self, blushed,  and  mopped  his  humid  brow,  while 
he  gathered  himself  for  the  speech  of  his  life. 


110  DOCTOR  TOM 

"  Mr.  Chairman,  and  feller-citizens  :  I  git  up 
far  —  I  git  up  fer  —  " 

"  Git  up  further,  Cal,"  said  an  irreverent 
youth. 

"  I  git  up  fer  to  go  to  nominate  Doctor  Tom 
Hendricks  for  the  office  o'  coroner  of  Brett. 
What  the  little  cuss  will  do  with  it  when  he  gits 
it  is  more'n  I  know ;  but  he  wants  it  and  he's 
got  to  have  it  or  there'll  be  trouble ;  for  Big  Cal's 
a  backin'  him  and  don't  you-all  disremember 
that."     And  the  sheriff  sat  down. 

"  Doctor  Tom  Hendricks  has  been  nominated  for 
coroner;  do  I  hear  a  second?"  asked  the  chairman, 
when  two  were  already  on  their  feet. 

"  The  chair  recognizes  our  valued  citizen,  Mike 
McCall  (on  account  of  seniority),"  with  a  bow 
to  Billy  McMahon,  "  but  there  is  no  objection  to 
two  seconds  in  this  honorable  affair." 

"  I  don't  see  what  we-uns  wants  of  no  coroner," 
said  McCall,  "  but  if  Doctor  Tom  Hendricks  wants 
to  take  the  chanst,  I  ain't  got  nothin'  agin  it." 

"  I  second  Doctor  Tom  for  any  damn  thing  he 
wants,  and  I  stands  with  the  sheriff,"  said  Billy 
McMahon,  in  the  first  public  speech  of  his  life. 

"  The  convention  will  receive  additional  nomi- 
nations, if  there  are  others,"  said  the  chairman. 
After  a  moment  of  silence,  the  Major  continued  : 
"  As  there  is  but  one  name  before  the  meeting,  I 
will  ask  for  a  rising  vote ;  those  in  favor  of  the 
nomination  of  Doctor  Tom  Hendricks  for  coroner  of 
Brett  will  rise."     Every  man  in  the  hall  stood  on 


THE  CONVENTION  111 

his  feet,  and  the  chairman's  eyes  noted  with 
pleasure  the  cheerful  consent.  "  I  am  proud  to 
see  that  there  is  no  occasion  for  taking  an  oppos- 
ing vote,  —  the  nomination  is  unanimous!  Vox 
populi  vox  dei,  if  you  will  again  permit  me.  The 
business  of  the  convention  being  closed  —  " 

"  Tom  Hendricks  !  Speech  from  Doctor  Tom," 
came  from  several  voices. 

«  The  point  is  excellently  well  taken  !  An 
unpardonable  piece  of  negligence  on  my  part, 
suh,  which  I  trust  you  will  overlook,"  said  the 
Major,  bowing  in  Tom's  direction.  "  Nothing 
could  be  more  apropos  than  an  exposition  of  the 
principles  upon  which  this  campaign  is  to  be 
conducted.  We  will  listen  with  pleasure  and 
profit  to  the  future  coroner  of  Brett." 

Tom's  words  were  few,  but  to  the  point.  He 
thanked  the  convention  for  the  honor  ;  he  de- 
clared his  ambition  gratified  (which  only  time 
could  satisfy),  and  he  said :  "  I  think  I  have  a 
sufficient  knowledge  of  the  official  duty  and  also 
of  my  duty  as  a  citizen  to  meet  the  require- 
ments. It  shall  be  my  earnest  effort  to  make 
this  knowledge  available  for  the  good  of  the 
community,  and,  if  I  fail,  it  will  not  be  from 
absence  of  honest  desire  or  lack  of  personal 
effort." 

Tom's  speech  was  loudly  cheered  by  his 
friends,  and  then  the  chairman  said :  — 

"  It  only  remains  for  the  convention  to  request 
the  sheriff  to  make  timely  proclamation  of  the 


112  DOCTOR  TOM 

result  of  its  deliberations  and  to  appoint  a  day 
for  the  election.  If  there  is  no  objection,  the 
chair  will  so  direct  the  county  officer.  My 
esteemed  fellow-citizens,  I  congratulate  you  and 
our  glorious  county  on  the  work  done  to-day, 
and  I  suggest  that,  when  we  adjourn,  we  do  so 
with  the  intent  of  at  once  reuniting  in  the  re- 
freshment room  of  Abe  McCall,  there  to  pour  a 
libation  of  the  juice  which  cheers,  but  which 
does  not  inebriate,  when  used  with  discretion. 
The  convention  stands  adjourned  sine  die.''^ 


CHAPTER   XVII 

THE    SHERIFF    GIVES    NOTICE 

For  two  days  the  sheriff  was  in  the  throes  of 
mental  labor ;  his  appetite  failed,  he  talked  in 
his  sleep,  and  his  face  took  on  the  pale  cast  of 
thought.  At  the  close  of  the  second  day,  relief 
came,  and  he  brought  forth,  in  triplicate,  the 
following  legal  notice  :  — 

0  yes !  0  yes !  0  yes  !  'Tention  to  the  Order  of  the 
Cote! 

Whereas,  there  hain't  been  no  coroner  in  Brett  County 
for  thirty  year,  and 

Wliereas,  'tain't  nat'rel  such  things  should  be,  and 
Wliereas,  the  office  ain't  no  sunnycure,  and 
Whereas,  most  anybody  don't  want  it,  and 
Wliereas,  Doctor  Tom  Hendricks  has  been  duly  nomi- 
nated for  said  office,  and 

Wliereas,  the  said  Tom  Hendricks  he  ain't  of  a  timid 
nature, 

Therefore,  I,  A.  Jackson  Pepper,  County  Judge  of 
Brett,  do  order  and  ordain  that  a  'lection  take  place  on 
the  second  Monday  of  October,  first  after  these  present, 
for  voting  for  said  Tom  Hendricks  for  said  office,  or 
forever  after  hold  your  peace.  No  voting  can't  be  done 
before  sun-up  or  after  sun-down,  and  may  God  have 
mercy  on  your  soul. 

Done  at  the  Cote-house  in  Brettville,  the  17th  day  of 
September  'cording  to  the  order  of, 

A.  Jackson  Pepper,  Judge. 
By  Cal  Clay,  Sheriff  of  Brett. 
I  113 


114  DOCTOR  TOM 

Three  copies  of  this  notice  were  made  on  large 
sheets  of  strong  brown  wrapping  paper,  and  they 
were  hand-printed ;  that  is,  the  sheriff  had 
laboriously  traced  them  with  an  inked  stylus  of 
his  own  construction.  Cal  was  not  only  pleased 
with  the  execution  of  this  work,  but  also  with 
its  composition ;  for  he  felt  that  he  had  touched 
with  delicate  hand  every  salient  point  in  the 
Major's  speech  before  the  convention. 

Tom  congratulated  his  friend  upon  his  achieve- 
ment ;  and  the  notices  were  securely  nailed  at 
the  centres  of  county  activities,  viz.  the  court- 
house, the  siding,  and  the  mill  in  the  south 
valley,  to  give  timely  warning  of  the  impending 
election. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

POKER    ETHICS 

Gambling  was  not  endemic  in  the  mountains. 
The  disease  was  brought  in  from  time  to  time, 
and  spread  in  small  circles,  but  it  soon  died  out 
from  want  of  fuel.  The  advent  of  French  and 
Brown  into  the  seclusion  of  Brettville  was,  there- 
fore, looked  upon  with  a  considerable  degree  of 
tolerance,  for,  while  they  were  known  to  be  "  pro- 
fessionals," it  was  thought  that  they  w^ould  liven 
things  up  and  that  they  were  not  likely  to  cause 
much  harm.  They  lived  at  the  hotel,  and  they 
plied  their  vocation  in  an  open,  jovial  manner 
which  soon  made  them  popular.  They  were 
reputed  "  bad  men,"  and  they  probably  de- 
served the  reputation  ;  but  they  cheerfully  lost 
small  sums  of  money  to  a  number  of  people,  and 
were,  consequently,  called  "  good  fellows." 

The  sheriff  was  among  their  patrons ;  so,  too, 
was  Billy  McMahon,  who  had  so  ably  seconded 
Tom's  nomination.  Billy  had  been  a  wild  lad, 
even  for  the  mountains,  until  he  had  been  tamed 
by  June  Joy's  soft  eyes,  but  he  was  now  doing 
his  best  to  make  a  nest  for  his  sweetheart.  The 
small  winnings  which  he  was  permitted  to  make 

115 


116  DOCTOR  TOM 

seemed  to  open  the  door  of  early  happiness  for 
Billy,  and  he  was  tempted  to  push  his  luck. 

Tom  paid  little  heed  to  the  gamblers,  and, 
barring  a  general  antipathy  to  the  whole  breed, 
was  coolly  indifferent  to  them  and  their  ways. 
It  was  not  until  he  saw  clouds  of  worry  floating 
in  the  sky  of  the  sheriff's  good-natured  face,  that 
he  gave  the  matter  serious  thought. 

One  evening  in  late  September,  he  sat  in  his 
rooms,  alone  and  contented,  until  midnight,  and 
then  began  to  wonder  why  Cal  did  not  come. 
Cal  was  such  a  robust  sleeper  that  it  required 
strong  provocation  to  keep  him  off  his  bed  after 
a  very  conservative  hour ;  consequently  Tom 
never  counted  on  the  unusual  in  the  nocturnal 
habits  of  the  sheriff. 

One  o'clock  came.  Tom  could  see,  by  the 
light  in  the  window  of  a  small  upper  room  of 
the  hotel,  that  the  game  still  progressed.  He 
could  not  help  feeling  anxious  for  his  friend, 
who  had  caught  the  gambling  fever  in  all  its 
intensity,  and  who  was  carried  half  out  of  his 
mind  by  the  new  sensations  and  excitements 
which  the  disease  developed.  It  was  all  new  to 
Cal,  and  the  fascinations  of  poker  roused  in  his 
boyish  mind  a  wealth  of  emotional  excitement  of 
which  he  had  never  dreamed.  The  element  of 
chance  had,  heretofore,  been  to  him  a  thing  un- 
known, while  brute  force  and  bald  facts  filled 
the  measure  of  his  days ;  but  nov/  a  change  had 
come,  and  he  worshipped  at  the  shrine  of  this 


POKER  ETHICS  117 

strange  goddess  with  all  the  ardor  of  a  new  con- 
vert. Tom  watched  the  growth  of  this  passion 
with  a  student's  interest,  until  he  realized  that  it 
was  getting  such  a  fierce  hold  upon  the  simple 
nature  of  his  friend  as  to  injure  it  seriously. 
The  sheriff  could  do  nothing  by  halves,  and  he 
was  now  floundering  in  deep  water.  He  had 
lost  steadily  of  late,  —  the  goddess  had  forsaken 
her  devotee,  —  and  he  was  fighting  desperately 
to  retrieve  his  losses.  Tom  felt  sure  that  the 
sheriff  had  lost  more  than  was  his  to  lose,  and 
this  knowledge  worried  him  greatly.  He  knew 
that  Cal  would  come  to  him  at  once  for  money 
to  replace  that  which  was  not  his  own,  and  he 
would  be  more  than  willing  to  lend  it ;  yet  he 
could  not  bear  that  his  friend  should  be  brought 
to  this  self-mortification.  Cal  must  never  know 
that  Tom  suspected  him  of  using,  even  for  an 
hour,  that  which  was  not  his  own.  In  addition 
to  this  feeling,  Tom  had  a  strong  dislike  for  all 
professional  gamblers,  and  a  special  antipathy 
towards  French  and  Brown,  who  were  working 
such  havoc  with  his  friend. 

As  the  clock  struck  two,  Tom  crossed  the 
street  to  where  the  light  shone,  determined  to 
succor  his  friend  and  to  teach  a  lesson  in  poker 
ethics.     As  he  entered  the  room,  he  said  :  — 

«  Hello,  boys  !  At  it  yet  ?  Don't  you  want  a 
fresh  hand  to  give  you  luck?  I've  got  a  small 
wad  to  blow  in,  for  the  honor  of  the  national 
game." 


118  DOCTOR  TOM 

Cal  was  glad  to  see  him,  but  French  and 
Brown  gave  scant  courtesy  as  he  seated  himself 
opposite  the  sheriff  at  the  rude  square  table. 
An  oil  lamp  and  reflector  hung  from  the  low  ceil- 
ing and  cast  a  yellow  light  upon  the  group.  Cal 
Clay  sat  bare-headed,  and  the  light  shone  on  a 
pale  face,  with  something  of  its  good  nature 
gone,  and  on  hollow  eyes,  haunted  and  anxious. 

French  and  Brown  had  their  heads  covered, 
and  their  slouch  hats  were  pulled  well  down,  to 
shade  their  eyes  from  the  light  and  to  hide  the 
expression  of  their  faces,  which  were  additionally 
masked  by  abundant  beards. 

The  game  had  grown  warm  as  the  hours 
passed,  and  it  was  now  all  "  dollar- jacks,"  with 
ten  to  open  and  twenty  limit.  Tom  did  not 
« stay "  in  the  first  pot,  but  in  the  second  he 
stayed  and  lost  his  ten  to  Brown,  who  had 
opened  it  on  nines  up.  It  was  now  Tom's  turn  to 
deal,  and  he  called  for  a  fresh  pack,  which  was 
at  once  furnished  from  French's  pocket.  Tom 
tore  off  the  wrapper  and  slowly  and  awkwardly 
stripped  the  deck  twice,  much  to  the  irritation 
of  the  black-bearded  men,  who  thought  precious 
time  was  being  wasted. 

"  Cut  ? "  said  Tom,  offering  the  pack  to  his 
right-hand  neighbor. 

«  No ;  hurry  up,"  said  Brown. 

Tom  dealt  laboriously,  and  when  he  had  fin- 
ished, French  opened  the  pot  for  ten.  Cal  raised 
him  twenty,  and  Brown,  after  some  hesitation, 


POKER  ETHICS  119 

raised  twenty  more.  It  was  now  up  to  the 
dealer. 

«  Fifty  dollars  to  stay  !  Not  on  your  life  !  " 
said  Tom,  and  he  put  under  the  bottom  of  the 
pack  a  king  high  straight  flush. 

"  There's  my  forty,  and  I  go  twenty  better. 
It's  up  to  you,  Cal,"  said  French. 

"  I'll  see  your  forty  and  bet  yo'  twenty  more, 
if  Tom'll  loan  me  the  money,"  said  the  sheriff. 

"  All  right,  Cal,  but  don't  overplay  your  hand," 
said  Tom. 

"  I'll  raise  the  sheriff  twenty,"  said  Brown, 
showing  his  teeth  over  his  black  beard. 

"  Hold  your  horses  ! "  said  Tom.  "  Do  you 
want  to  bet  the  county  ?  There'll  be  three  hun- 
dred and  thirty-four  dollars  in  the  pot  before 
you've  drawn  a  card  !  " 

« I'm  satisfied  to  stay,"  said  French. 

"  Tom,  loan  me  twenty  more  to  <  make  good,'  " 
said  Cal. 

"  How  many  cards  ?  "  said  Tom. 

"  I  don't  want  any,"  said  French. 

"None  here,"  said  CaL 

"  I'm  pat,"  said  Brown. 

"  Well,  I'll  be  damned  !  "  said  Tom.  "  That's 
a  quotation,  but  it  expresses  surprise." 

French  bet  twenty,  and  Cal  negotiated  another 
loan  of  forty  dollars  from  Tom,  with  which  he 
raised  French.  Brown  was  contented  to  "  see  " 
the  bet  without  further  raise,  and  French  also 
"  called."     The  cards  were  shown  ;  black  beards 


120  DOCTOR   TOM 

had  equal  hands  —  straight  flushes  five  high  — 
while  Cal  showed  a  straight  flush  king  high. 

"  Good  boy,  sherifi' !  You  win  hands  down, 
and  there's  a  bunch  of  money  in  the  pot,"  said 
Tom,  deftly  pushing  the  bills  under  the  hands 
of  the  sheriff. 

The  coup  was  a  facer  for  the  gamblers ;  their 
teeth  showed  sharp  and  their  faces  grew  fierce. 

"  What  did  you  have,  Doctor  Hendricks  ? " 
said  Brown. 

"  Not  enough  to  stay  in  such  hot  company," 
was  Tom's  reply. 

For  six  hands,  Tom  "bet  like  a  drunken 
sailor,"  winning  one  and  losing  five  with  awk- 
ward fumbling  of  cards  and  careless  good  nature, 
until  his  quick  eye  caught  a  conjurer's  dexterous 
movement  which  he  had  expected.  When,  in 
the  next  hand,  it  came  to  him  to  "  come  in  "  or 
« pass,"  he  said,  "  I'll  stay  out,"  and  then,  in  a 
level  voice :  — 

« I'll  make  a  side  bet  with  you,  Brown.  I'll 
bet  you  fifty  even  that  I  can  shoot  the  clover 
leaf  off  that  ace  of  clubs  that's  up  your  sleeve, 
without  breaking  a  bone,"  and  the  muzzle  of 
Tom's  revolver  showed  above  the  edge  of  the 
table.  "  Cal,  I  reckon  we've  had  enough  of  this 
'  skin  game,'  and  we'll  bid  these  gentlemen  good 
night,"  said  Tom,  rising  from  his  chair. 

"  On  second  thought,"  said  Tom,  with  cheeks 
a  little  whiter  and  eyes  a  little  deeper  than  was 
their  wont,  "  we  will  change  that  '  good  night ' 


POKER  ETHICS  121 

to  '  good-by.'  If  business  or  pleasure  should  call 
you  gentlemen  beyond  the  border  of  Brett  within 
twenty-four  hours,  don't  delay  your  departure 
on  my  account.  Our  next  meeting  will  not  be 
an  agreeable  one,"  and  he  left  the  room.  The 
good-natured  sheriff  delayed  a  moment,  for  he 
had  seen  something  in  his  friend's  face  which 
had  never  been  there  before,  and  his  soft  heart 
demanded  that  even  his  enemies  should  be 
warned. 

"  Yo'-all  is  shore  skunks,  but  yo'  oughter  have 
a  chanst.  'Tain't  no  sheriff  that's  a'ter  yo'  this 
time,  but  a  coroner,  and  he's  on  to  his  business. 
Don't  yo'  commit  no  suicide,"  and  Cal  followed 
Tom. 

"  Come  for  a  walk,  Cal ;  let  us  get  the  taste 
of  this  out  of  our  mouths." 

They  walked  toward  the  mountains  with 
scarce  a  word  (Tom  was  in  no  pleasant  humor), 
until  they  reached  a  brawling  brook  whose 
waters  came  clear  and  cold  from  springs  high 
up  the  hills.  They  seated  themselves  on  the 
boll  of  a  fallen  tree  and  watched  the  eager,  rest- 
less water  beat  itself  into  flecks  which  were 
born  only  to  hurry  away.  Tom  filled  his  pipe, 
and,  after  a  few  fragrant  whiffs,  found  his 
tongue. 

« I  don't  care  a  damn  for  what  they  did,  Cal ; 
it's  what  they  made  me  do  that  hurts.  I  had 
to  wallow  with  them  to  beat  them,  and  the  mire 
sticks  like  tar.     It  doesn't  pay,  Cal,  —  it  doesn't 


122  DOCTOR  TOM 

pay.  We  can't  do  it  and  keep  clean,  and  that's 
how  we  must  keep  ;  isn't  it,  old  man  ?  " 

«  Yo'  bet  yo'  life,  Tom  !  " 

«  No  more  of  this,  Cal  ?  " 

« Not  a  damn  bit,  Tom.  I'm  shore  cured ;  I 
don't  have  to  take  no  more  medicine." 

«  Let's  go  down  to  the  pool  and  wash  off  the 
mire,"  said  Tom,  and  the  friends  found  the 
pool,  and,  so  far  as  water  could  reach,  obliterated 
the  stains  of  the  night. 


CHAPTER   XIX 

DOCTOR    TOM    TO   MISS    EUTH 

"Dbab  Miss  Ruth:  In  eight  months  the 
mountains  have  lost  much  of  their  humor,  but 
nothing  of  their  tragedy  or  pathos.  Feeble  and 
tentative  efforts  toward  physical  redemption  can 
be  seen  on  every  hand,  but  they  fall  flat  in  most 
instances,  and  are  hard  to  revive.  There  are, 
however,  some  notable  exceptions,  and  I  get  a 
world  of  encouragement  from  them. 

"  Uncle  Jeff  has  just  received  returns  from  his 
first  shipment  of  swine,  and  has  added  said  re- 
turns to  his  bank  account.  This,  with  the  sale 
of  the  still,  and  some  previous  slow  accumulations, 
makes  him  opulent,  as  wealth  is  counted  here,  and 
also  makes  Sis  secure  of  her  winter  in  Cincinnati. 

"  By  the  way,  Miss  Ruth,  I  wish  to  be  banker 
for  Sis,  except,  of  course,  to  a  very  limited 
amount,  to  protect  Uncle  Jeff's  pride ;  and  I 
hope  you  will  spend  all  the  money  that  wisdom 
will  permit,  on  and  for  her.  Our  rough  diamond 
must  not  lack  for  setting  while  I  accumulate 
wealth  indecently.  Sis  is  in  your  hands,  but  I 
am  backing  her,  and  she  should  be  clothed  like 
the  lilies,  for  she  will  repay. 

123 


124  DOCTOR  TOM 

"  You  must  sometime  know  our  little  Major 
T.  Jefferson  Brett !  He  will  win  your  heart  at 
sight  with  his  courteous  dignity  and  his  courtly 
manner,  and  he  will  hold  it,  too,  by  the  sterling 
loyalty  of  his  own.  He  is  a  tower  of  strength 
in  the  county,  and  I  am  proud  to  call  him  my 
friend.  But  the  twin  brother  of  my  soul  is  the 
big  sheriff ;  at  least,  I  hope  my  soul  was  like  his 
in  a  far-off  time  before  generations  of  ancestors 
who  had  opportunities  decorated  the  house  in 
which  it  dwells,  —  for  there  can  be  no  improve- 
ment. He  is  what  God  and  nature  intended  a 
man  should  be  to  fortify  him  against  the  acci- 
dents of  education  and  so-called  refinements. 
There  is  no  one  like  him,  excepting  Ham  (and 
he  has  hampering  limitations),  and  I  live  and 
fatten  off  him  every  day. 

"  Sis  is  doing  great  things  for  herself.  In  a  dim 
way  the  child  appreciates  the  glory  and  beatitude 
of  her  life  with  « Miss  Ruth,'  and  is  earnestly 
striving  to  eliminate  some  of  her  propensities, 
much  to  the  surprise,  and  also  to  the  comfort,  of 
the  boys.  With  an  apt  pupil  in  the  hands  of  such  a 
teacher,  I  look  for  nothing  less  than  transfiguration. 

"My  election  is  assured,  but  with  the  assur- 
ance comes  some  personal  doubt.  I  want  to  do 
something  that  is  worth  while,  to  explain  my 
existence  (though  one  does  not  always  find  a 
satisfactory  reason  for  that,  even  when  one 
searches  diligently) ;  but  I  have  no  luck  in  large 
things  —  they  don't  come  my  way. 


DOCTOR  TOM   TO  MISS  EUTH  126 

"  A  note  from  Jack  says  that  he  is  likely  to 
come  down  for  two  days  in  early  October.  I 
wonder  if  I  may  hope  to  see  Jack's  sister  also  ? 
The  sight  of  Miss  Ruth  would  be  very  welcome 
to  her  friend, 

«ToM  Hendeicks." 


CHAPTER   XX 

MISS    RAYMOND    TO    DOCTOR    HENDRICKS 

«  Dear  Stupid  Doctor  Tom  :  Was  ever  such 
another  dull  letter  writ !  I  would  as  lief  be 
locked  up  with  the  evening  paper !  What,  to 
me,  are  Majors,  and  swine,  and  sheriffs,  forsooth, 
when  their  only  excuse  for  existing  is  to  act  as 
food  or  foil  to  you  ?  Will  you  never  seek  an 
introduction  to  Tom  Hendricks,  that  you  may 
know  him  as  others  do  ?  But  you  will  not,  and 
that  is  why  I  am  so  angry.  I  would  write  a 
long  letter,  if  I  thought  I  could  punish  you  by 
so  doing,  filled  with  all  the  excitements  of  the 
day  a  la  morning  edition,  capitals,  leaded  lines, 
and  all ;  but  you  would  patiently  read  it  and 
return  me  respectful  thanks. 

"  Dear  Doctor  Unwise,  do  you  think  a  woman 
wants  a  man  to  be  always  respectful  ?  Well,  she 
doesn't;  at  least,  the  woman  I  know  best  doesn't. 
My  first  conscious  existence  must  have  been  in 
the  stone  age,  when  I  fought  my  man  in  savage 
equality ;  and  my  second  in  the  age  of  the  belted 
man  who  knew  how  to  unbuckle  his  girdle,  and 
use  it,  too,  with  no  question  as  to  his  right ;  for 
in  my  third  incarnation  I  demand  a  blow  over 

126 


MISS  EAYMOND  TO   DOCTOR  HENDRICKS  127 

the  shoulder  as  evidence  of  equal  camaraderie  — 
but  only  from  a  man  strong  enough  to  bear  the 
consequences, 

"  This  in  your  ear,  sir :  when  you  have  any- 
thing especially  nice  to  say  of  or  to  a  woman, 
write  her  brother  —  you  have  greater  facility 
there  —  and  it  may  accidentally  reach  and  com- 
fort her.  I  am  so  vexed,  that  I  am  coming  down 
to  the  mountains  to  tear  you  with  my  own  teeth; 
nothing  less  will  placate  rne.  I  am  coming  down 
with  Jack,  —  he  may  protect  you  in  a  measure, 
for  he  still  loves  you,  —  and  I  am  going  to  fetch 
Sis  away  from  your  depressing  influence.  I 
think  we  shall  be  down  in  time  for  the  hustings, 
and  if  we  are,  I  shall  take  to  the  hills,  in  uncon- 
ventional garb,  and  vote  early  and  often  for  a 
very  modest  friend  for  a  very  mighty  office  ;  that 
is,  if  my  rage  has  spent  its  fury,  which  is  by  no 
means  assured.  I  have  hung  a  fichu  in  front  of 
that  old  rattle-box,  and  I  have  not  been  near 
it  for  a  —  for  nearly  an  hour.  One's  interest  in 
toys  wanes  sometimes,  and  for  some  toys,  doesn't 
it  ?  But,  anyway,  I  shall  always  think  you  were 
nice  that  day  to 

«  Ruth  Raymond." 

"P.S.  Sometime  j'-ou  will  find  leisure,  incli- 
nation, and  fortitude  to  strive  for  a  lady's  faith, 
and,  doubt  it  not,  sir,  you  will  succeed ;  for  the 
'  loyal  gravity  '  of  your  troth  will  be  truth  to  her. 

"R.  R." 


CHAPTER   XXI 

BILLY   TAKES     HIS    MEDICINE 

The  waitress  in  the  dining  room,  who  was  at 
the  same  time  chief  assistant  with  the  beds  and 
dishes,  was  a  tall  slip  of  a  girl  with  soft  eyes  and 
hair,  and  shy,  gentle  ways,  who  looked  much 
younger  than   her  twenty-two  years. 

June  Joy  was  one  of  the  many  daughters  of 
old  Peter  Joy  of  the  south  valley,  and  she  had 
lived  at  the  hotel  more  than  two  years.  She 
came  because  John  Reardon,  who  kept  the  hotel, 
and  who  was  kin  by  marriage  to  her  mother, 
needed  her  help,  and  because  she  was  not  espe- 
cially wanted  at  home ;  indeed,  the  home  cabin 
was  uncomfortably  crowded. 

The  first  few  months  of  life  at  the  hotel  were 
dull,  dark,  and  much  watered  by  showers  from 
poor  June's  soft  eyes.  No  sunshine  came  until 
the  bold,  saucy  eyes  of  Billy  McMahon  broke 
through  the  clouds  and  dispelled  the  mists.  The 
advent  of  the  light,  which  brightened  the  days 
for  June,  was  not  at  all  like  the  bursting  forth  of 
the  sun  in  its  glory,  for  Billy  was  of  the  alien 
Macs,  and  it  was  difficult  for  a  Joy  to  recognize 
grace  or  merit  in  him.     But  Billy's  eyes  were 

128 


BILLY  TAKES  HIS  MEDICINE  129 

admiring  as  well  as  saucy,  and  his  smile  was 
winning,  though  bold,  and  these  graces  gradually 
warmed  the  heart  of  the  little  homesick  girl 
until   it   melted. 

For  more  than  a  year  they  had  been  "  prom- 
ised," though  this  was  a  secret,  and  they  were 
looking  to  the  day  when  Billy  should  be  the 
proud  possessor  of  two  hundred  dollars  in  the 
bank.  Then  they  would  rent  and  stock  a  cabin 
and  fields  on  the  lower  reaches  of  the  creek,  and 
begin  their  happy  life. 

Billy  loved  June  with  his  whole  wild  moun- 
tain heart,  and  June  gave  her  soul  to  him ;  of 
which  he  was  somewhat  reckless,  as  was  his 
nature. 

Tom  had  always,  in  the  eyes  of  June  Joy,  been 
star  boarder  at  the  hotel.  His  gracious  spirit  and 
gentle  manner  early  won  the  admiration  of  the 
shy  mountain  girl,  and  she  showed  her  apprecia- 
tion of  his  kindness  by  cheerful  diligence  in  his 
service  and  careful  forethought  for  his  comfort. 
She  hovered  around  him  with  evident  pleasure ; 
and  it  would  have  been  a  hardy  and  adventurous 
fly  that  dared  buzz  at  his  ear  or  alight  on  his 
plate  when  June  was  on  guard.  She  knew,  also, 
to  a  nicety,  the  amount  of  "  whitenin' "  and 
"  sweetenin' "  which  he  liked  in  his  coffee,  and 
this  had  to  be  adjusted  with  such  exactness  that 
sometimes  the  sense  of  sight  was  not  sufficient, 
and  the  sense  of  taste  must  needs  eke  out  the 
deficiency ;  and  Tom,  courteous  gentleman  that 


130  DOCTOR  TOM 

he  was,  would  not  shun  the  edge  of  the  cup 
which  her  pretty  lips  had  touched.  Small  won- 
der, then,  that  he  was  the  refuge  to  which  she 
turned  in  time  of  stress ;  and  Tom  was  not 
greatly  surprised,  the  next  evening  after  the  epi- 
sode with  the  gamblers,  when  the  girl,  with  tear- 
stained  face,  presented  herself  at  his  office. 

« Oh,  Doctor  Tom,  I  wanter  die ! "  said  poor 
June,  as  she  dropped  into  the  nearest  chair. 

Tom  pulled  a  chair  close  to  the  girl,  took  her 
cold  hand  in  his  big  palm,  and  held  it  for  a 
moment  before  he  said  :  — 

« There  are  lots  of  things  worse  than  dying, 
June ;  but  I  don't  believe  any  of  them  has  come 
to  you." 

"  Yes,  they  has !  Yes,  they  has !  And  I 
wanter  die ! " 

"  Can  you  tell  me  about  it,  June  ?  " 

"  I  can't,  but  I'll  have  to.  Billy's  goin'  away 
and  he  won't  marry  me,  and  he  orto,  —  he 
orto,  Doctor  Tom,  —  and  I  wanter  die,"  and  the 
girl  rocked  to  and  fro  while  tears  streamed  down 
her  cheeks. 

Tom  waited  until  the  worst  of  the  storm  had 
passed  before  he  asked  :  — 

«  Why  is  Billy  going  away  ?  " 

«  He  los'  his  money  to  them  black  skunks,  and 
he's  down  on  his  luck  and  he  can't  get  the  cabin 
and  the  fields,  and  we  can't  get  married,  and  we 
orto,  and  I  wanter  die." 

«  Billy  will  come  back,  June,  and  —  " 


BILLY  TAKES  HIS  MEDICINE  131 

"  But  I  can't  wait !  Don't  you  understand, 
Doctor  Tom?  I  can't  wait.  If  Billy  don't 
marry  me  now,  I  must  die  shore.  Nobody  ain't 
a-goin'  to  say  that  I'm  a  bad  girl,  leastways  not 
to  my  face.  I  ain't  a  bad  girl,  —  I  jes'  love 
Billy!" 

"  Indeed  you  are  not,  June ;  but  you've  been 
too  generous  to  Billy,  and  he  must  make  it  up  to 
you,  so  far  as  he  can." 

«  But  he  can't !  He  ain't  got  no  money  and  he 
can't  rent  the  cabin,  and  dad  and  the  boys'll  kill 
him,  and  he  loves  me  as  much  as  I  do  him,  and 
he'll  get  outer  the  mountins  and  I'll  kill  myself 
if  he  does,"  cried  poor  June. 

"  Where  is  Billy  now  ?  "  asked  Tom. 

"  Out  at  ole  Jake's  cabin,  down  the  branch  by 
the  riffles;  but  he's  goin'  in  the  mornin',"  and 
sobs  came  afresh. 

"  See  here,  June,  I  want  you  to  dry  those  pretty 
eyes ;  take  them  home  and  put  them  to  sleep  so 
that  they'll  be  bright  when  Billy  comes.  I'll 
have  a  talk  with  him,  in  the  early  morning,  and 
he'll  be  here  before  noon,  and  you  must  look 
your  best ;  and  that's  good  enough  even  for 
Billy." 

"  Can  yo'  do  it  ?  Will  yo'  do  it.  Doctor  Tom  ? 
I'll  worship  yo' ;  I'll  die  for  yo',  if  only  Billy'U 
come ! " 

« Go  home  and  do  as  I  tell  you ;  Billy  will 
come,"  said  Tom,  as  he  bade  the  girl  good  night. 

Sleep  was  more  or  less  accidental  with  Doctor 


132  DOCTOR  TOM 

Tom.  It  was  accepted  at  times,  as  a  concession 
to  nature,  but  it  was  never  permitted  to  interfere 
with  things  of  interest,  either  in  mind  or  afield. 
He  sat  with  feet  on  the  ledge  of  the  open  win- 
dow, taking  counsel  with  his  pipe,  until  a  tinge 
of  gray  in  the  east  showed  that  the  June  morn- 
ing was  breaking ;  then  he  went  to  the  hotel 
barn,  where  his  mountain  mare  was  stabled. 
Long-tailed,  ewe-necked,  ill-kept,  but  sure  of  foot 
and  fleet,  this  mare  was  fast  friends  with  Tom, 
and  her  soft  whinny  greeted  him, 

«  We  must  be  out  early,  old  girl,  or  Billy  will 
get  out  of  the  mountains  and  then  June's  heart 
will  be  broken,  sure,"  said  Tom,  throwing  the 
saddle  on  the  mare,  which  listened  with  evident 
pleasure  to  what  her  friend  was  saying.  "  June's 
heart  mustn't  break,  old  girl,  for  who'll  taste  our 
coffee  then  ?  So  here's  for  ten  miles  of  hill  road 
by  sun-up,"  and  the  friends  were  off. 

The  mare  trotted  sharp,  but  the  soft  padding 
of  her  unshod  hoofs  on  the  dull  road  made  no 
discord  with  the  melody  of  Tom's  clear  whistle, 
which  filled  the  woods  and  echoed  from  the 
mountain  sides  until  the  mocking-birds  ceased 
their  songs  to  take  note  of  this  strange  creature 
that  out-carolled  them.  The  glint  of  the  sun  just 
touched  the  "  high  peak "  as  the  mare  drew  up 
in  front  of  "  ole  Jake's  "  cabin,  and  Tom  "  hailed 
the  house."  The  door  was  soon  opened,  and  old 
Jake,  frowsy  and  sleepy,  answered  the  hail. 

"  Hello  !     What  yo'  want  ?  " 


BILLY  TAKES   HIS  MEDICINE  133 

«I  want  Billy  McMahon.  Tell  Billy  Doctor 
Tom  wants  to  see  him." 

In  a  few  minutes  Billy  McMahon  came  down 
the  path,  Winchester  in  hand  and  a  reckless  ex- 
pression on  his  handsome  face,  —  evidently  a 
discouraged  man  in  a  desperate  mood. 

"  Good  morning,  Billy." 

"  Morning,  Doctor  Tom,"  in  no  pleasant  voice. 

«  Billy,  I  want  you  to  show  me  the  cabin  and 
the  fields  where  you  and  June  are  going  to  live." 

"  We  ain't  goin'  to  live  nowhere.  I  hain't  got 
no  more  truck  with  June  Joy,"  said  the  man,  fiercely. 

"  Show  me  the  cabin,  anyhow,  Billy.  You  can 
do  that  much,  can't  you  ?  " 

"  I  can  do  that,  shore,  but  what's  the  good  ? 
I  can't  have  it,  —  I  can't  have  June,  —  I'm  goin' 
away,  and  I  don't  give  a  damn  for  nothin '." 

When  they  reached  the  cabin  Tom  turned  the 
mare  loose  to  crop  the  grass,  while  he  threw 
himself  on  the  soft  turf  and  said  to  the  moody 
man  who  stood  over  him,  "  What's  wrong  between 
you  and  June,  Billy  ?  " 

"  Nothin'  ain't  wrong  between  we-uns ;  jes' 
had  ter  quit ;  'tain't  no  use  talkin'  'bout  it." 

"  How  many  acres  here,  Billy  ?  " 

"  Two  hundred  on  mountin  and  in  bottom." 

«  Good  land  ?  "  said  Tom. 

"  First  rate.  But  what's  the  use  gabbin'  ? 
We-uns  can't  git  it,  and  I  don't  give  a  damn." 

"What  happened,  Billy?  What  upset  your 
plans  ?  " 


134  DOCTOR  TOM 

« What's  the  use,  Doctor  Tom  ?  I  ain't  no 
baby.     I  got  ter  take  my  medicine." 

"  Yes,  Billy,  you've  got  to  take  your  medicine, 
and  you've  got  to  take  some  of  it  now.  You're 
a  coward,  Billy,  and  you  know  it ! " 

« No  man  can't  call  me  a  coward,  Tom  Hen- 
dricks ! "  and  the  desperate  man  reached  for  his 
gun. 

"  I've  got  you  covered,  Billy,  and  you  mustn't 
touch  your  iron,"  said  Tom,  quietly,  "  but  you 
must  take  some  nasty  medicine,  —  it'll  do  you 
good.  You  are  a  coward  because  you're  afraid 
to  work  for  a  nice  girl  who  loves  you." 

«I  love  her  jes'  as  much  as  she  loves  me,  and 
I  ain't  no  coward,  Tom  Hendricks." 

« I  think  you  do  love  her,  but  you're  a  coward 
just  the  same.  You're  running  away  when  you 
ought  to  be  fighting  for  her,  and  a  man  who  runs 
out  of  a  good  fight  isn't  a  brave  man,  is  he,  Billy  ?  " 

"  This  ain't  no  fair  fight.  Doctor  Tom.  and  I've 
got  ter  go." 

« You're  right  there ;  it  isn't  a  fair  fight,  and 
you  are  the  one  that  is  playing  foul.  You  took 
June's  heart  and  you  gave  yours,  in  halfway 
return,  and  she  was  satisfied  and  happy  ;  but 
now  you  run  away  from  this  tender  heart  just 
because  you've  had  bad  luck,  and  that's  why 
you're  a  coward.  You're  not  only  a  coward, 
Billy,  but  you're  a  cad  !  You  don't  know  what 
that  means,  but  I'll  tell  you !  It's  a  skunk, 
Billy,  a  damned  skunk,  and  that's  what  you  are. 


BILLY  TAKES  HIS  MEDICHSTE  135 

You  had  no  soul,  Billy,  but  June  had,  and  a  beau- 
tiful one  it  was,  and  you  stole  it  and  pawned  it 
and  got  drunk  on  it,  and  that's  why  you're  a 
damned  skunk,  Billy  ;  do  you  understand  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  go  to  do  her  harm,  Tom,  I  shore 
didn't.  There  ain't  no  other  girl  in  the  mountins 
but  jes'  June,  and  we-uns  was  promised  fer 
next  month,  and  I  wish  you'd  shoot  me,  Tom 
Hendricks ! " 

"  I  won't  do  that,  Billy,  but  I'll  give  you  two 
hundred  dollars  if  you'll  kiss  June  in  the  dining 
room  this  noon,  and  say,  '  We-uns  is  goin'  to  be 
married  in  thirty  days,'  "  and  Tom  jumped  on  his 
mare  and  put  to  silence  the  birds  of  the  mountains 
with  his  joyous  whistle  song. 

June  laughed  and  cried  and  broke  things  and 
was  divinely  happy  when  handsome  Billy  stood 
beside  her  in  the  dining  room  and  "  made  good  " 
to  the  delight  of  all  present.  In  the  evening, 
when  she  found  Tom's  office,  smiles  and  tears 
were  equal  friends  to  her  face,  for  they  both 
embellished  it,  but  she  found  few  words  to 
account  for  either.  And  when  Tom  said,  "  My 
little  friend  shall  not  go  to  her  husband  penniless, 
she  shall  have  mules,  and  cows,  and  hogs,  and 
beds,  and  tables,  for  she  is  altogether  sweet,  if  not 
altogether  prudent,"  the  "  little  friend  "  could  say 
never  a  word.  But,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  when 
a  small  paragon  bridged  the  gulf  that  yawned 
between  the  Montagues  and  Capulets,  the  proud 
parents  called  his  name  Tom  Hendricks  McMahon. 


CHAPTER   XXII 

EUTH    RETURNS    TO    THE    MOUNTAINS 

The  disappearance  of  Bill  McCandless  and 
Black  Jack  McCall  was  not  satisfactory  to  their 
friends ;  for,  if  the  earth  had  opened  and 
swallowed  them,  as  indeed  it  had,  their  trail 
would  not  have  been  more  completely  hidden. 
No  active  measures  were,  however,  taken  to  find 
the  missing  men,  for  temporary  disappearances 
were  not  unusual  among  a  people  who  were  not 
on  friendly  terms  with  the  United  States,  on 
account  of  differences  of  opinion  in  regard  to 
internal  revenue.  The  owners  of  illicit  stills 
were  often  weeks,  and  even  months,  in  hiding 
from  the  officers  of  the  law,  and  while  they  could 
usually  communicate  with  their  friends  at  un- 
certain times  and  in  irregular  manners,  there  were 
times  when  the  officers  were  so  active  that  the 
moonshiners  were  compelled  to  flee  the  county 
for  months.  Disagreement  with  the  government 
and  local  feuds  were  responsible  for  many  tem- 
porary hidings  and  not  a  few  permanent  disap- 
pearances ;  and  they  were  accepted  with  dull 
fatalism  by  this  lethargic  people,  who  had  in- 
herited patience  and  learned  repression.     Little 

136 


RUTH  RETURNS  TO  THE  MOUNTAINS    137 

was  said  concerning  the  prolonged  absence  of 
McCandless  or  McCall,  even  among  their  kindred 
and  friends,  and  nothing  among  those  who  were 
not  friendly.  When  their  names  were  spoken, 
it  was  as  though  they  had  been  conversed  with 
yesterday  or  would  undoubtedly  be  seen  to- 
morrow, and  with  no  expressions  of  anxiety. 

With  the  wives  and  children  of  the  missing 
men  it  was  scarcely  different ;  they  could  wait — 
poor  things !  they  were  experts  at  that  —  until  the 
husband  and  father  returned  to  provide  scant 
food  and  wide  discomfort  for  them. 

McCandless  and  McCall  were  both  "  bad " 
men  even  by  mountain  standards,  and  their 
temporary  effacement  was  not  unmitigated  grief 
to  their  families ;  but  as  time  passed  and  they 
did  not  return,  their  faults  both  of  omission 
and  of  commission  grew  hazy  and  remote,  while 
their  virtues,  such  as  they  had,  became  clear  and 
ever  present  in  the  eyes  of  their  deserted  kindred. 

Jim  and  Sam  McCandless,  brothers  of  the 
absent  Bill,  were  reckless,  law-breaking  moon- 
shiners, who  were  able  and  willing  to  do  all  that 
lay  in  the  power  of  two  mountain  men  to  support 
the  traditions  of  a  family  notorious  for  the  tough 
citizens  it  had  produced.  They  were  big  men, 
of  the  gaunt  mountain  type,  and  Jim  had  laid 
claim  to  championship  honors  until  they  had 
been  wrested  from  him,  in  three  fierce  battles, 
by  Cal  Clay.  On  three  successive  election  days 
these  mighty  men  had   joined    battle,  much  to 


138  DOCTOR  TOM 

the  entertainment  of  their  rugged  friends ;  and 
after  each  engagement  Jim  McCandless  had  been 
carried  home  by  his  disappointed  backers,  there 
to  recuperate  from  the  punishment  he  had  re- 
ceived at  the  hands  of  tiie  good-natured  sheriff 
that  was  to  be. 

It  must  be  said  to  his  credit,  however,  that 
Jim  McCandless  accepted  the  third  beating  as 
final,  and  in  his  morose  way  admitted  the  supe- 
riority of  his  antagonist :  "  Big  Cal's  boss  o'  the 
mountins,  shore,  but,  'fore  God,  he  knows  he  'as 
had  er  fight,"  said  the  battered  man,  as  his 
friends  put  him  on  to  his  bed  and  did  some 
rough  surgery  for  him. 

Indifference  merged  into  wonder,  and  wonder 
into  surprise,  and  surprise  into  apprehension,  and 
this  again  into  conviction  that  "  suthin'  has  hap- 
pened to  Bill,"  when  the  months  grew  and  the 
missing  man  did  not  return.  The  McCalls  passed 
through  like  periods  of  uncertainty,  to  arrive  at  a 
like  conclusion  ;  and  when  Black  Jack  did  not  ap- 
pear, old  Mike,  the  patriarch  of  the  family,  took 
the  wife  and  children  into  his  cabin  and  furnished 
pone  and  cracklins  for  them,  while  Abe  McCall, 
from  his  saloon  in  Brettville,  made  small  contri- 
butions toward  their  maintenance. 

The  strangest  feature  connected  with  the  dis- 
appearance of  these  men  was  the  fact  that  their 
friends  were  on  the  wrong  trail  in  their  search 
for  evidence,  and  could  not  be  diverted  from  it. 
They  believed  the  two  men  had  come  to  grief  in 


RUTH   RETURNS  TO   THE  MOUNTAINS    139 

the  south  valley  at  the  hands  of  the  Joys,  the 
Reardons,  or  some  of  their  allies ;  and  their  whole 
attention,  both  in  scouting  and  in  tentative  in- 
quiry, v^as  directed  toward  this  region.  The 
fact  that  Jeff  Thompson  had  been  housed  for 
four  weeks  by  an  attack  of  "  lung  fever "  about 
the  time  the  men  disappeared  was  not  known, 
or,  if  known,  was  considered  irrelevant. 

Bill  and  Black  Jack  had  been  drinking  heavily 
for  weeks ;  they  had  a  special  grievance  against 
old  man  Joy,  and  they  had  been  heard  to  say 
that  they  were  "  lookin'  for  a  man  "  ;  and  what 
was  more  natural  than  that  they  should  harry 
the  south  valley  in  search  of  him  ?  Fiery  tem- 
pers and  fiery  whiskey  had  made  them  more 
imprudent  than  usual,  and  they  had  fallen  into  a 
pit  of  their  own  digging.  Eyes  were  kept  open 
and  ears  pricked  up  in  an  effort  to  catch  inadver- 
tent look  or  careless  word,  from  the  valley  people 
or  their  friends,  that  would  point  a  clew;  and 
when  no  aid  came  from  this  direction,  the  disap- 
pointed faction  settled  down  to  dull  conviction 
regardless  of  proof.  Their  business  now  was  to 
get  even  with  their  enemies,  without  bringing 
themselves  too  flagrantly  before  the  sheriff's 
office ;  but  they  were  a  patient  race  and  could 
bide  their  time  in  things  revengeful. 

It  was,  then,  not  in  a  spirit  of  reveng©  for 
their  missing  companions  that  the  Macs  decided 
to  beat  up  "  the  ole  fox  in  the  Cove,"  but  out  of 
pure  cussedness,  or  on  what  they  called  "  general 


140  DOCTOR  TOM 

principles."  The  Thompsons  were  enemies  in 
every  sense  of  the  word,  though  there  had  been 
no  overt  act  for  several  years  to  freshen  the  feud  ; 
but  there  were  rumors  of  innovations  in  farming 
and  in  stock  raising  which  were  not  looked  upon 
with  favor,  and  the  impression  was  abroad  that 
the  people  in  the  Cove  were  getting  above  their 
neighbors.  The  burning  of  the  Thompson  still 
was  considered  an  unwarrantable  concession  to 
the  powers  that  be,  and,  consequently,  a  disloy- 
alty to  the  mountains  which  could  not  be  over- 
looked. It  was,  then,  more  as  an  evidence  of 
general  disapproval  than  as  actual  feud  that  the 
bad  men  of  the  clan  decided  to  "  wake  ole  Jeff 
Thompson  up." 

The  McCandlesses  and  the  more  reckless  of  the 
McCalls,  McBrides,  and  McMahons,  to  the  num- 
ber of  twelve  or  fourteen,  decided  to  make  the 
raid ;  and  they  fixed  upon  Saturday  night  before 
the  election  as  a  favorable  time.  They  were  to 
assemble  at  Brettville  on  pretext  of  tax-paying 
or  weekly  junketing.  If  things  were  propitious, 
or  if  they  looked  so  through  the  corn-juice  lens 
which  they  were  certain  to  use,  they  were  to 
leave  for  their  homes  after  an  evening  of  drunken 
hilarity,  in  small  groups,  to  unite  midway  to  the 
Cove,  which,  by  the  wagon  trail,  was  more  than 
seven  miles  distant  from  the  village. 

Billy  McMahon  was  in  the  plot.  He  had 
always  been  among  the  wildest  of  the  wild  and 
keen  for  liveliest  adventure,  and  it  was  not  known 


EUTH  RETURNS  TO  THE  MOUNTAINS    141 

that  he  was  under  special  obligation  to  Doctor 
Tom.  Billy's  adventurous  spirit  had  been  some- 
what curbed  by  his  love  for  June  Joy,  but  this  would 
not  have  prevented  him  from  taking  an  active 
part  in  the  frolic,  which  appealed  so  strongly  to 
his  nature  as  well  as  to  the  traditions  of  his  race. 
There  was,  however,  a  reason  strong  enough  to 
keep  Billy  out  of  the  attacking  party  and,  if 
necessary,  to  add  him  to  the  defence ;  and  that 
was  his  gratitude  to  Doctor  Tom.  From  the  morn- 
ing when  he  "  took  his  medicine  "  from  the  young 
doctor,  he  was  his  loyal  henchman,  through 
thick  and  thin,  and  neither  feud  nor  family  could 
divert  him  from  his  fealty. 

It  was  within  a  week  of  Billy's  wedding,  and 
as  he  was  in  daily  conference  with  June,  it  was 
but  natural  that  he  should  give  her  some  hint  of 
the  foray.  As  soon  as  June  realized  that  Doctor 
Tom's  friends  were  to  be  harassed,  if  not  more 
seriously  dealt  with,  her  feathers  ruffled  like  an 
angry  dove's. 

"  Is  yo'-all  goin'  to  worrit  Doctor  Tom,  Billy  ? 
If  yo'  do,  I'll  kill  myself  and  never  speak  to  yo' 
no  more,  never ! "  and  June's  soft  eyes  flashed 
angrily  through  their  tears. 

"  I  'low  I  ain't  no  cad  (that's  what  he  called 
it,  and  it  means  a  damned  skunk),  June,  and  I'd 
see  my  soul  bio  wed  to  everlastin'  blazes  'fore 
harm  came  ter  him  ! "  said  June's  lover. 

« I  knowed  it,  Billy,  I  knowed  it ;  and  yo'  kin 
kiss  me  if  yo'  wanter," 


142  DOCTOR  TOM 

Billy  wanted  to,  and  then  he  told  June  that 
he  must  not  be  seen  talking  to  Doctor  Tom,  but 
that  she  must  give  the  warning  that  night,  for 
the  next  night  was  the  one  set  for  the  attack. 

«  Tell  Doctor  Tom  that  Billy  McMahon's  back 
o'  him  if  he  wants  him,"  said  June's  lover,  as  he 
bade  her  good  night. 

With  eager  feet  June  sought  Doctor  Tom,  and 
gave  him  the  warning  and  her  lover's  message. 

"  Billy's  a  bully  boy,  June,  and  I  don't  know 
but  he's  halfway  good  enough  for  you.  Tell  him 
to  go  with  the  men,  but  he  must  quit  the  fight  as 
soon  as  it's  on.  That'll  be  hard  for  Billy,  but  tell 
him  Doctor  Tom  says,  <  Slip  away,  shore,  for  the 
sheriff  and  the  coroner  will  be  on  top  of  them.' " 

The  next  day  was  the  Saturday  before  the 
election,  and  the  Raymonds  were  expected.  Tom 
had  looked  forward  to  this  visit  with  pleasure 
mixed  with  apprehension  —  pleasure  in  the 
thought  of  greeting  his  old  chum  and  in  the  opening 
prospect  for  Sis,  but  apprehension  lest  the  second 
visit  of  Jack's  sister  should  be  even  more  disas- 
trous to  his  peace  of  mind  than  the  first  had  been. 

The  red-brown  lady  had  grown  upon  him 
uncontrollably.  It  was  sweet  to  think  of  her ; 
but  it  was  such  a  far  cry  from  Tom  Hendricks  in 
the  mountains  to  Ruth  Raymond  on  Walnut 
Hills  that  it  appeared  hopeless ;  and  Tom  could 
not  afford  to  spend  time  in  dreaming  of  the 
impossible.  It  were  prudent,  then,  to  curb  his 
pleasure  in  her  society  and  to  lessen  the  danger 


EUTH  RETURNS  TO  THE  MOUNTAINS    143 

of  deepening  his  infatuation.  He  must  meet  his 
friends  at  the  siding  and  drive  them  over  the 
seventeen  miles  of  hill  road  to  Brettville  after 
three  o'clock  on  that  October  day,  when  the 
sun  dropped  below  the  mountains  at  half-past 
four.  By  good  luck  and  good  driving  he  could 
land  them  at  the  hotel  about  an  hour  after  sun- 
down, which  would  give  him  abundant  time  to 
follow  the  Macs  into  the  Cove ;  but  he  must 
warn  the  Thompsons,  and  make  his  plans  with 
the  sheriff,  before  he  started  for  the  siding. 
Early  Saturday  morning  Tom  wrote :  — 

"  Dear  Sis  :  The  McCandlesses,  and  others  of 
the  baser  sort,  will  attack  the  fort  about  ten 
o'clock  to-night.  Stand  them  off  until  you  hear 
the  cracking  of  revolvers  on  their  right  flank, 
and  then  come  with  a  rush,  dogs  and  all,  and  we 
will  do  them  with  clubs.  Tell  Uncle  Jeff  not 
to  use  his  trigger  finger  after  he  gets  into  the 
open,  for  we  don't  want  any  inquests  until  after 
the  election.  Cal  and  I  will  have  white  hand- 
kerchiefs about  our  necks,  and  the  garrison  had 
best  carry  the  same  colors,  if  it  doesn't  want  to 
take  the  risks  of  Cal's  club  or  mine.  To-morrow 
I  will  bring  Miss  Ruth  to  you,  and  she  will 
console  you  for  the  horrors  of  the  night.  Don't 
visit  too  long  with  Ham,  for  I  want  a  note  back 
from  you  before  noon. 

"  Your  cousin 

"  Tom." 


144  DOCTOR  TOM 

Ham  was  called,  the  note  was  placed  in  his 
inside  pocket,  and  he  was  told  to  go  to  Sis. 
Before  eleven  the  dog  returned  with  this  from 
Sis:  — 

"Dear  Cousin  Tom:  We-uns  ain't  skeered  of 
they-all.  „g^^„ 

The  sheriflF  was  to  depart  late  in  the  after- 
noon, after  letting  it  be  known  at  the  hotel  and 
in  McCall's  saloon  that  he  had  business  which 
would  take  him  to  the  southern  part  of  the 
county  and  would  probably  keep  him  for  twenty- 
four  hours.  He  was  to  wait  for  Tom  in  the  gap, 
halfway  to  the  Cove  by  a  short  five-mile  route, 
and  together  they  would  fall  upon  the  enemy. 

At  three  o'clock  Tom  was  at  the  siding,  just  in 
time  to  see  the  Raymonds'  car  shunted  on  to  the 
empty  track.  No  bodyguard  was  needed  now,  for 
the  mountains  had  no  feud  with  Tom,  and  most 
of  their  people  were  his  loyal  friends ;  but  Ham 
had  occupied  a  seat  beside  Tom,  and  was  now 
eager  to  greet  the  woman  who  sprang  lightly  off 
the  car. 

«  Dear  old  Ham !  I  knew  you  would  give  me 
the  first,  and  perhaps  the  most  cordial,  welcome. 
Doctor  Tom,"  said  the  girl,  rising  and  taking  the 
hand  of  the  tall  man  whose  gray  eyes  haunted 
her,  « I  fancy  a  girl  may  be  very  much  underfoot 
among  things  of  state." 

Tom's  grip  was  on  her  hand  with  the  old 
crushing   force,  checking   speech,  half   stopping 


EUTH  EETURKS  TO  THE  MOUNTAINS    145 

breath,  but  never  showing  in  eyes  or  in  lips, 
which  smiled  frankly  from  her  upturned  face. 

"Ham  was  first,  Miss  Ruth,  because  he  has 
twice  as  many  feet  —  the  handicapper  did  me  an 
injustice ;  but  you  are  like  water  to  the  thirsty. 
Jack,  old  man,  you  look  finer  than  silk ! " 

"Doctor  Tom,  may  I  not  have  Ham  on  the 
back  seat  with  me  ?  I  have  much  to  say  to  him, 
and  then,  too,  I  want  you  and  Jack  to  get  the 
worst  of  it  over,  so  that  I  may  hope  for  some  at- 
tention this  evening,"  said  Ruth. 

"We  are  subject  to  our  queen!  Ham,  be 
mindful  of  what  she  says,  that  you  may  please 
me  to-night,"  said  Tom. 

It  was  an  hour  after  sundown  when  they 
arrived  at  the  hotel,  and  supper  had  been  served 
to  the  "regulars,"  as  well  as  to  half  a  score  of 
bearded  men  who  lounged  on  the  porch  or  in  the 
bar-room.  June  had,  however,  made  provision 
for  her  Doctor  Tom  and  his  friends,  and  they 
were  soon  comfortably  provided  for  in  a  corner 
of  the  dining  room. 

"  I'm  no  end  sorry,"  said  Tom,  "  but  I've  some 
business  on  hand  for  to-night  which  cannot  be 
postponed." 

"I  felt  it,"  said  Ruth,  "and  Ham  as  much  as 
told  me  !  But  I  nevertheless  consider  it  a  nefari- 
ous scheme  to  rob  me  of  my  natural  rights.  Why 
could  you  not  have  done  it  last  month.  Doctor 
Tom,  or  put  it  off  until  next  year?  It  is  as 
nothing  compared  with  —  " 


146  DOCTOR  TOM 

«A  quiet  evening  with  you  and  Jack,  Miss 
Ruth,  and  I'm  awfully  sorry  — " 

"  Don't  make  excuses,  Doctor  Obstinate  !  You 
have  decided,  and  wains  could  not  move  you  !  I 
will  go  immediately  to  bed  and  cry  myself  to 
sleep.  And  Ham,  too  !  I  expected  so  much  from 
Ham  ! " 

"  That's  all  right,  Ruth ;  you  go  to  bed  and  I'll 
go  with  Tom  and  Ham,"  said  Jack. 

"  Et  tu,  Jack  ?  But  what  difference  does  one 
deserter  make  when  one's  whole  army  is  gone  ?  " 
said  the  blue-eyed  girl,  as  she  gave  her  hands  for 
good  night. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

THE    FORAY 

When  Ruth  had  gone,  Tom  told  Jack  of 
the  business  cut  out  for  the  night,  and  tried  to 
dissuade  him  from  joining  the  expedition ;  but  it 
was  of  no  use.  Raymond  had  warm  blood  in 
his  veins,  and  the  opportunity  to  give  it  vent 
could  not  be  resisted.  To  fight  was  always  a 
temptation  to  this  robust  man,  and  it  had  been 
denied  him  by  force  of  environment.  Now  he 
saw  his  way  clear,  for  he  was  enlisted,  not  only 
on  the  weaker  side,  but  also  on  the  side  of  law 
and  order,  and  he  would  not  be  withheld. 
Nothing  would  satisfy  him  except  to  join  Tom, 
Cal,  and  Ham  in  their  effort  to  relieve  the 
beleaguered  fort,  Tom  was  glad  enough  of  his 
aid  and  company,  and,  as  he  recognized  but  a 
small  element  of  danger  in  the  enterprise,  he  en- 
listed his  friend  as  deputy  under  the  sheriff's 
banner. 

The  bearded  men  dropped  out  in  small  knots, 
and  by  eight  o'clock  none  of  them  could  be  found 
at  saloon  or  hotel,  and  the  sound  of  their  shouting 
died  away  in  the  distance. 

Tom  and  Jack  could  make  the  short  trail  in 
H7 


148  DOCTOR  TOM 

half  the  time  that  the  enemy  would  consume 
in  his  march,  and  they  had  leisure  for  pipe 
and  slow  preparation.  Heavy  top-boots,  strong 
trousers,  belted  at  the  waist,  a  pair  of  "  new 
version "  Smith  &  Wesson  in  each  belt,  heavy 
jackets,  soft  hats,  and  stout  hickory  cudgels 
completed  the  equipment. 

The  night  was  clear  starlit,  —  the  young  moon 
could  not  keep  up  later  than  nine  o'clock,  —  and 
Tom  found  no  trouble  in  following  the  well- 
beaten  path.  Ham  was  ordered  to  "  safe  close," 
and  he  scouted  both  sides  of  the  trail  a  few 
yards  in  front  of  the  sturdy,  long-legged  men 
who  swiftly  followed.  Half  an  hour  later  the 
dog's  friendly  whine  gave  evidence  that  he  had 
scented  the  sheriff,  whose  low  whistle  was  at 
once  answered  by  Tom. 

The  three  men  sat  on  a  log  while  Tom  made 
the  plan  of  campaign.  They  were  to  descend  the 
mountain  to  within  easy  supporting  distance  of 
the  garrison,  and  there  await  the  development  of 
the  attack.  When  the  firing  became  active,  they 
could  approach  the  right  flank  of  the  enemy 
without  danger  of  discovery,  until  near  enough 
to  give  the  counter  attack.  There  was  little  risk 
to  the  garrison  so  long  as  it  remained  behind  the 
thick  walls  of  the  house,  and  the  besiegers  would 
run  but  little  more,  for  they  would  keep  under 
cover,  at  least  until  their  blood  grew  hot  from 
the  smell  of  powder. 

Tom  did  not  believe  that  the  attacking  party 


THE  FOEAY  149 

was  especially  vicious,  or  that  it  really  wished  to 
kill  any  of  the  Thompsons ;  it  intended  to  show 
marked  mountain  displeasure,  regardless  of  con- 
sequences. Of  course,  the  skirmish  might  at 
any  time  bring  on  a  battle,  and  this  contingency 
would  not  prevent  a  McCall  or  a  McCandless, 
when  in  full  liquor,  from  opening  the  skirmish  — 
rather  it  would  add  zest  to  the  occasion ;  but  if 
the  affair  could  be  concluded  as  a  skirmish,  little 
harm  would  be  done.  Tom's  plan  was  to  dis- 
concert the  attack  before  it  had  time  to  develop 
a  battle  or  to  arouse  bad  blood.  To  do  this,  the 
three  men  were  to  approach  within  effective  dis- 
tance, with  a  revolver  in  each  hand,  and  at  a 
given  signal  to  fire  four  shots  from  each  pistol  at 
such  an  elevation  that  the  bullets  would  clear 
heads,  but  would  rattle  among  the  trees.  Then, 
with  a  loud  shout,  «  The  sheriff  !  The  sheriff  ! " 
they  were  to  charge  with  their  clubs  and  to  do 
such   work  as  came  to   their  hands. 

Clubs  in  the  hands  of  such  men  as  Tom,  Jack, 
and  the  sheriff  meant  serious  menace  to  a 
small  army ;  and  this  force  would  be  supple- 
mented by  five  husky  men  from  the  fort,  as 
well  as  by  three  dogs,  which  were  not  to  be 
reckoned  with  lightly.  To  raise  the  siege  with- 
out bloodshed  on  either  side  was  the  object 
desired,  and  this  plan  seemed  feasible  to  the 
men  who  held  council  of  war  as  they  sat  on  the 
log. 

They  descended  the  mountain  and  halted  within 


150  DOCTOR  TOM 

a  half  mile  of  the  Thompson  house,  there  to 
await  developments.  They  had  not  long  to 
wait,  for  they  had  hardly  disposed  themselves 
on  the  grass  before  the  sharp  crack  of  a  rifle  was 
heard. 

"  They  open  with  artillery,"  said  Tom.  "  That 
w^as  Jim  McCandless'  'express,'  —  the  only  one 
in  the  mountains,  —  but  the  logs  of  the  old  fort 
will  stand  more  than  one  'express'  can  give 
them." 

The  first  rifle  shot  was  quickly  followed  by  the 
sharp  cracking  of  Winchesters  all  along  the  front 
of  the  house,  from  behind  stumps,  rocks,  clumps 
of  trees,  and  wherever  protection  could  be  found. 
The  attack  was  made  from  the  front,  and  the 
firing  line  was  from  seventy  to  one  hundred  yards 
distant.  The  garrison  was  not  slow  in  returning 
the  fire,  and  a  fusillade  was  quickly  developed 
and  actively  continued. 

The  relief  party  found  no  difiiculty  in  reaching 
the  desired  position  and,  at  a  signal  from  Tom, 
fired  twenty-four  shots  from  their  double-acting 
Smith  &  Wessons  with  such  rapidity  that  they 
sounded  like  a  volley  ;  and  then  with  loud  shouts, 
"  The  sheriff  !  The  sheriff  I "  they  rushed  upon 
the  foe.  Cal  roared  and  ran,  and  ran  and  roared, 
until  the  woods  resounded  as  though  a  small  herd 
of  bellowing  bison  had  been  turned  loose  —  with 
the  effect  of  making  the  enemy  believe  that  not 
only  the  large  sheriff,  but  also  a  large  posse,  was 
on  its  flank.     The  men  and  dogs  came  from  the 


THE  FORAY  151 

house  with  a  rush,  and  in  an  instant  a  hand-to- 
hand  fight  was  on,  with  little  chance  to  use  fire- 
arms, for  the  sheriff's  party  did  not  wish  to,  and 
the  other  side  did  not  dare  to,  for  fear  of  wound- 
ing its  own  people. 

The  advantage  was  greatly  in  favor  of  the  party 
which  effected  the  surprise  ;  for  it  was  aggressive 
and  of  unknown  strength,  and  it  had  the  law  at 
its  back.  It  was  not  to  the  discredit  of  the 
fighting  Macs  that  they  made  a  running  fight 
of  it,  with  the  object  of  vacating  the  Cove  as 
quickly  as  possible.  This  could  not  be  done  with- 
out some  broken  heads,  for,  while  the  sheriff's 
party  was  glad  to  furnish  the  "  golden  bridge " 
for  the  retreating  enemy,  it  could  not  be  contented 
with  less  than  sharply  pointing  the  way  and 
forcibly  accelerating  the  retreat. 

In  his  eagerness  to  reach  a  dimly  seen  figure, 
Cal  overran  a  man  who  struck  furiously  at  his 
head  with  his  clubbed  rifle.  The  blow  would 
have  downed  the  sheriff  had  not  Tom's  cudgel 
deflected  it  from  the  head  to  the  broad  shoulder 
of  his  friend,  while,  with  a  dexterous  recovery, 
he  cracked  the  pate  of  the  giver  and  left  the 
sheriff  free  to  attend  to  his  original  object. 

"  Damn  yo',  Cal  Clay ;  I've  got  yo'  now,"  said 
Jim  McCandless,  as  he  swung  his  big  express  in 
a  tremendous  sweep,  which  would,  if  unavoided, 
have  put  the  strongest  fighter  out  of  the  battle. 
But  Cal's  boxing  lessons  had  not  been  without 
effect.     Quick  as  lightning  he  dropped  low,  and 


152  DOCTOR  TOM 

the  heavy  weapon  spent  its  fury  in  a  circle  over 
him  ;  and  before  it  w^as  fairly  spent,  he  projected 
his  round  head,  as  from  a  catapult,  against  the 
pit  of  the  stomach  of  his  adversary.  Jim  Mc- 
Candless  went  down  with  a  crash,  and  was  no 
longer  a  factor  in  the  fight,  while  the  sheriff  was 
at  liberty  to  seek  other  fields,  which  he  did,  eagerly. 
Tom  had  overrun  the  sheriff  and  had  disposed 
of  one  man,  after  a  short  engagement  between 
hickory  club  and  clubbed  rifle,  in  which  the 
hickory  proved  much  the  better  weapon,  when 
he  saw  a  dog  fastened  in  savage  grip  to  the  thigh 
of  a  man.  He  knew  at  once  that  it  was  Japhet, 
for  the  other  dogs  were  too  wise  to  hang  on  to  the 
leg  of  a  bear  or  a  man.  They  would  bite  fiercely 
and  at  once  let  go,  for  they  knew  that  bears  and 
men  have  other  weapons  than  one  leg,  and  that 
they  are  quite  likely  to  use  them  when  the  dog 
is  "  all  in"  on  that  leg.  Japhet  had  inherited  less 
of  the  wisdom  of  his  mother,  the  bloodhound,  and 
more  of  the  persistence  of  his  father,  the  bull 
terrier,  than  the  other  dogs,  and  he  could  never 
be  taught  that  there  was  a  time  for  letting  go  as 
well  as  a  time  for  taking  hold ;  so  he  hung  on  to 
his  quarry  as  if  he  had  locked  his  jaws  and  had 
thrown  away  the  key.  Tom  saw  the  flash  of  a 
knife,  w^hich  looked  as  if  the  tenacious  Japhet 
was  likely  to  get  the  worst  of  the  conflict.  With 
a  sharp  rap  on  the  man's  wrist  he  sent  the  knife 
spinning ;  then  a  straight  shoulder  blow  to  the 
point  of  the  jaw  toppled  the  man  over.     Tom 


THE  FOEAY  153 

unlocked  Japhet's  jaws  and  sent  him  on  other 
business ;  but  "  other  business "  was  rapidly 
receding  down  the  valley,  and  dogs  and  men 
were  soon  recalled. 

The  Thompsons  had  not  been  idle.  They 
struck  the  centre  of  the  beleaguering  force  in 
their  first  rush,  dashed  through  or  over  it,  and 
then,  wheeling  to  the  right,  assailed  the  left  flank 
and  carried  the  position  handsomely,  but  with 
considerable  loss.  In  the  first  rush.  Uncle  Jeff 
was  introduced,  by  a  blow  from  a  gun-barrel, 
to  a  constellation  of  stars  which  engaged  his 
entire  attention  for  the  rest  of  the  night,  while 
George  bumped  into  two  stalwarts  who  gave  him 
more  than  was  good  for  him  before  Jake  came  to 
his  relief  with  sturdy  blows  and  his  favorite 
imprecation. 

Jack  Raymond  went  into  the  skirmish  "like 
a  man  a-mowing."  He  had  good  luck  in  the 
first  encounter,  but  his  second  was  more  serious. 
He  attacked  his  man  vigorously,  but  in  an  instant 
he  found  that  he  must  defend  himself  against 
two.  This  he  did  with  courage  and  stamina, 
but  things  did  not  go  well  with  him.  A  bone 
in  his  left  forearm  was  broken,  a  glancing  blow 
cut  his  scalp,  and  things  began  to  look  serious 
when  Ham  and  Shem  took  a  hand  —  or,  more 
correctly  speaking,  each  took  a  leg,  of  his  op- 
ponents—  with  such  vigor  as  to  turn  the  tide  of 
battle  and  to  give  him  victory  where  defeat 
seemed  imminent. 


164  DOCTOR  TOM 

The  enemy  was  now  in  full  retreat ;  the  dogs 
of  war  were  called  off,  and  the  casualties  were 
enumerated.  Three  bloody  heads,  one  broken 
arm,  the  sheriff's  bruised  shoulder,  and  Japhet's 
cut  neck  completed  the  list.  It  was  thought 
wise  to  leave  the  injured  of  the  enemy  to  their 
own  devices,  as  it  had  been  only  a  skirmish  and 
it  was  not  well  to  make  it  personal  by  identify- 
ing any  of  the  attacking  party. 

Jake,  Zeb,  and  Bud  stood  picket  around  the 
house  while  Doctor  Tom  made  repairs.  Uncle 
Jeff  and  George  were  put  to  bed  with  liberal 
water  dressings  on  their  battered  heads.  Jack 
Raymond  received  the  tonsure,  and  screwed  his 
face  into  a  horrible  smile  (which  Sis  thought 
beautiful^  while  three  stitches  were  taken  in  his 
broken  scalp,  before  the  bone  in  his  forearm  was 
set  and  bandaged.  Sis  held  in  each  hand  a 
tallow  dip,  and  as  their  yellow  light  fell  on  the 
yellower  hair  and  handsome  face  of  the  wounded 
man,  her  brown  eyes  grew  large  and  soft  at  the 
unusual  sight.  She  had  a  dim  idea  of  what  an 
archangel  was  like,  and  this  picture  rounded  out 
her  conception.  Aunt  Hat  and  the  sheriff  were 
willing,  if  not  efficient,  assistants,  and  within 
two  hours  from  the  beginning  of  the  fight,  the 
wounded,  including  Japhet,  were  comfortably 
bestowed.  The  pickets  were  called  in,  and 
reported  that  the  last  of  the  straggling  enemy 
had  left  the  Cove.  Jake's  eyes  w^ere  blazing,  and 
he  frequently  consigned  himself  to  perdition  be- 


THE  FORAY  166 

cause  he  had  been  held  back  from  the  retreat- 
ing foe  by  the  imperative  orders  of  Tom  and  the 
sheriff.  His  intense  nature  was  not  satisfied 
with  less  than  complete  victory  or  as  complete 
defeat ;  while  Tom  congratulated  himself  on  the 
happy  turn  of  events.  The  foray  would  now  be 
looked  upon  as  an  episode,  like  a  fist  fight,  which 
could  not  arouse  bad  blood  nor  demand  homicidal 
revenge.  At  two  o'clock  Tom,  Cal,  and  Ham 
left  the  Cove.  When  they  were  near  the  village, 
Cal  said,  "  Let's  go  to  the  pool,"  and  the  three 
friends  splashed  in  the  cool  water  until  they  were 
content  to  shake  themselves  and  go  home.  The 
sheriff  tumbled  into  bed  with  a  quiet  mind  and 
a  body  disposed  for  sleep,  while  Tom  threw 
himself  on  a  broad  couch  in  the  front  room  and 
gazed  at  the  ceiling  until  the  gray  light  of  the 
morning  came.  His  thoughts  took  the  color  of  the 
frosted  beech  leaf,  and  travelled  in  small  circles 
around  eyes  which  he  felt  had  softened  a  little, 
and  a  mouth  whose  curves  had  grown  more 
tender.  If  hope  came  creeping  into  Tom's  heart, 
it  was  so  faint  that  it  could  take  form  only  after 
he  had  done  something  or  been  something  worth 
doing  or  being.  Daylight  had  hardly  come 
before  a  knock  was  heard  at  Tom's  door. 

"  Come  in,"  said  that  gentleman,  without  ris- 
ing from  his  couch,  and  Billy  McMahon  entered. 

Billy  was  woe-begone  and  shamefaced  ;  a  lump 
on  his  forehead,  blood  over  one  ear  and  down  the 
side  of  his  neck,  and  torn  clothing  gave  proof 


156  DOCTOR  TOM 

of  rough  work  of  which  he  was  evidently  not 
proud. 

Ham  came  from  the  middle  room  in  a  perfectly 
unbiassed  frame  of  mind ;  he  was  willing  to  be 
aggressive,  neutral,  or  friendly,  but  he  would  not 
commit  himself  until  he  got  the  cue  from  his 
friend.  In  the  meantime  he  looked  at  a  bloody 
rent  in  Billy's  trousers  with  signs  of  cheerful 
recognition  —  he  felt  sure  that  he  had  met  that 
rent  before. 

"  Doctor  Tom,  I  didn't  go  fer  to  stay  in  that 
ther  fight  —  I  didn't,  shore ;  and  June  won't 
speak  to  me  when  she  hears  tell  that  I  didn't  do 
as  you-all  said.  'Tain't  nat'ral.  Doctor  Tom,  to 
sneak  outer  a  fight  when  it's  right  on  top  o'  yo', 
and  I  couldn't  do  it  noway,  much  as  I  wanted 
ter,  which  I  didn't." 

"  Of  course  you  couldn't,  Billy.  I  didn't  ex- 
pect you  would.  Don't  ever  funk  a  good  fight 
just  on  account  of  sentiment." 

«  Thank  yo',  Doctor  Tom,  I  won't.  But  will 
yo'-all  make  it  squar  with  June  ?  " 

« I'll  do  that,  Billy,  and  I'll  patch  you  up 
before  you  see  June.  You  must  have  run 
against  something ! " 

"Shore;  a  damned  big  feller  with  hair  as 
yeller  as  Cora  Brett's  and  a  club  like  a  log! 
But  me  and  Joe  McBride  was  a-doin'  him  when 
two  damned  dogs  commenced  to  eat  our  laigs, 
and  we  had  ter  quit,"  said  Billy. 

"  So  this  is  some  of  your  work,  Mr.  Ham  ! 


THE  FORAY  167 

Well,  you  must  be  friends  with  Billy  after  this, 
for  he  is  on  our  side.  Come,  shake  hands,  old 
fellow,  and  call  it  off." 

Ham  wagged  his  tail  and  looked  pleased,  and 
he  again  looked  pleased  when  Tom  was  preparing 
to  bind  up  Billy's  lacerated  thigh  ;  for  what  dog 
could  help  admiring  the  beautiful  work  of  his 
own  jaws  ? 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

THE    SHORT   TRAIL 

« I  HAVE  an  apology  to  make  and  an  explana- 
tion to  give,  Miss  Ruth,  and  I  hardly  know 
where  to  begin,"  said  Tom,  when  he  met  Ruth 
at  breakfast. 

« I'll  accept  the  apology  and  waive  the  explana- 
tion, if  you'll  tell  me  what  you  and  Jack  did  last 
night,  and  if  you'll  let  Ham  come  and  sit  by  me." 

"  It's  of  what  we  did  last  night  that  I  wish  to 
speak,"  said  Tom  ;  "  and  I  fear  you  will  not  for- 
give me  when  I  tell  you  that  I  let  Jack  into  a 
scrape  in  which  he  got  his  arm  broken,"  and 
Tom  gave  a  circumstantial  account  of  the  adven- 
tures of  the  night. 

"  Poor  Jack  !  He's  the  proudest  man  alive 
this  morning !  A  broken  bone  is  only  a  pleas- 
ant reminder  of  the  concentrated  joy  of  the  night ! 
You  know  he  can't  fight  his  general  manager  or 
his  clergyman,  and  it  has  been  such  a  deprivation ! 
He  will  be  perfectly  dear  to  live  with  now !  " 

«  He  bore  his  bruises  with  fortitude,  certainly ; 
but  I  don't  forgive  myself  for  leading  him  up  to 
them,  for  he  will  be  kept  in  the  mountains  for 
several  days,"  said  Tom. 

158 


THE   SHORT  TRAIL  159 

"  What  a  calamity !  And  I  shall  have  to 
stay,  too,  Doctor  Doldrums !  But  I  shall  efface 
myself  as  much  as  possible,  because  I  was  not 
considered  fit  company  for  you  and  the  sheriff 
and  Jack  and  Ham.  I  think  '  yo'-all '  missed  a 
rather  nice  thing  when  you  decided  to  leave  me 
behind.     Do  you  not  agree  with  me,  Mr.  Ham  ?  " 

Cal  Clay  came  in  and  was  introduced  to  Ruth, 
who  at  once  led  him  captive  by  her  beauty  and 
graciousness. 

"  Mr.  Sheriff,  you  must  make  me  a  deputy.  I 
can't  afford  to  miss  any  of  the  good  things  ;  life 
is  none  too  adventurous  at  best.  May  I  join 
your  posse,  please,  Mr.  Sheriff?"  said  Ruth,  smil- 
ing at  the  tall  man. 

"  I  won't  have  no  trouble  'resting  no  man  in 
Brett  if  yo'  do,"  said  the  big  sheriff,  blushing 
red  and  showing  drops  of  moisture  on  his 
forehead. 

«  That  was  very  neatly  said.  Does  holding  a 
county  office  carry  facility  in  pretty  speeches, 
and  may  we  hope  for  great  things  from  the  im- 
pending election,  Doctor  Tom  ?  "  said  the  saucy 
girl. 

« I  hope  for  everything.  Miss  Ruth,  but  I  am 
too  sanguine,"  said  Tom,  as  they  rose  from  the 
table. 

Ruth  would  not  listen  to  Tom's  plan  for  driv- 
ing over  to  the  Cove.  "  Please  let  me  walk  the 
trail  with  you  and  the  handsome  sheriff.  You 
need    not   slow    up    for  me ;  I  am  a  mountain 


160  DOCTOR  TOM 

climber,  and  I  want  to  prove  that  you  made  a 
mistake  last  night  when  you  segregated  me." 

« It's  a  good  five  miles  of  hill  road,"  said  Tom. 

« Ham  cannot  do  it  easier  than  I,"  said  the 
girl,  and  she  had  her  way.  In  her  trim  walking 
costume,  this  lithe  lady  gave  a  lesson  in  elastic 
motion  which  was  not  soon  forgotten  by  the  two 
athletes  who  accompanied  her.  Her  supple  fig- 
ure was  moulded  into  her  dress,  but  it  was  not 
at  all  hampered  by  it ;  and  response  to  each  im- 
pulse of  her  will  was  shown  in  such  graceful 
strength  that  fatigue  seemed  foreign  to  such 
effortless  deeds.  Ruth's  body  was  as  carefully 
cultivated  as  her  mind ;  consequently  the  five- 
mile  trail  was  played  with  by  the  four  capable 
companions.  The  girl  fell  into  step  with  the  sher- 
iff over  much  of  the  route,  that  she  might  talk 
to  him  of  his  friend  by  suggestive  questionings. 

"  Doctor  Hendricks  doesn't  look  quite  robust, 
Mr.  Sheriff;  do  you  think  he's  thoroughly 
well  ? "  asked  the  tactful  girl. 

« Jes'  as  well  as  er  bar,  miss,  and  jes*  as 
robust  as  the  hind  legs  of  er  mule.  Ain't  nothin' 
wrong  with  Doctor  Tom." 

"  But  he  looks  so  slender  when  he  stands  be- 
side you,  or  even  Jack,  that  one  can  hardly  think 
him  strong  enough  for  this  kind  of  life." 

"  Looks  is  mighty  deceivin',  miss.  I  thought 
that  a  way  onct,  but  it  didn't  las'  long.  He 
licked  me  'tween  two  puffs  o'  his  pipe,  and  he 
only  uses  me  now  to  exercise  hisself   on  wbeu 


THE   SHORT  TRAIL  161 

it  rains  !  I  'lowed  I  could  lick  any  man  in  the 
mountins  'fore  Doctor  Tom  came,  but,  shucks  ! 
I  can't  even  keep  him  happy  ! " 

"  You  do  keep  him  happy,  Mr.  Sheriff,  I  know  ; 
and  I  know,  too,  that  he  loves  you  very  much. 
It's  a  great  thing  to  be  a  sheriff,"  said  the  girl, 
in  a  small  voice. 

"  What  does  he  love  me  fer.  Miss  Ruth  ?  He 
can  do  everythin'  I  can  do  and  a  durned  sight 
better ;  and  he  can  do  everythin'  I  can't  do,  and 
everythin'  I  w^ants  to  do  comes  jes'  as  easy  to  him  ! 
What  does  he  want  to  love  Big  Cal  Clay  fer  ?  I 
know  what  it's  fer  —  it's  jes'  'cause  Big  Cal  needs 
him  ;  that's  what  it's  fer !  Jes'  'cause  we-uns  can't 
git  along  'thout  him.  Damned  little  cuss !  Don't 
get  nothin'  out  er  we-uns ;  jes'  let's  we-uns  lay 
down  on  him  and  never  thinks  o'  that.  Thinks 
of  every  other  damned  thing,  but  never  thinks 
o'  that ! "  and  Cal  shook  his  great  arms  in  the  air. 

"  Is  he  happy  ?  Do  you  think  he  is  happy  ?  " 
said  the  girl,  springing  in  front  of  the  sheriff  and 
looking  steadily  into  his  face. 

«  He  looks  happy,  and  he  don't  git  the  dumps, 
and  he  whistles  to  beat  the  birds ;  but  he  don't 
sleep  fer  shucks,  and  he  looks  at  the  stars,  and 
he  turns  me  outer  bed  to  walk  with  him,  and 
he  rolls  Ham's  ears  —  " 

« Does  he  do  that  ?  Does  he  do  that  much, 
Mr.  Cal  ?  " 

"  Shore,  every  day !  " 

«  Then  he  is  happy,"  said  the  girl, «  and  so  am  I." 


CHAPTER   XXV 

THE    ELECTION 

They  found  Jack  Raymond  propped  up  in  bed 
with  bandage  on  head  and  arm  in  sling.  He 
tried  to  look  bored  and  disconsolate,  but  his  efforts 
were  far  from  successful,  for  his  blue  eyes  shone 
with  pride  and  the  corners  of  his  mouth  would 
turn  up  in  spite  of  his  attempts  to  droop  them. 

Sis  was  in  frequent  attendance,  with  jealous 
nursing  which  was  plainly  a  labor  of  love,  for  her 
girlish  heart  was  paying  tribute  to  the  big  blond 
man  who  had  volunteered  for  the  relief  of  the 
fort  and  had  suffered  more  than  any  other.  She 
fed  him,  comforted  him,  did  all  that  she  could  to 
spoil  him,  in  the  brief  period  of  her  ministration, 
and  he  accepted  her  devotion  with  masculine 
complaisance. 

"  Yo'  mustn't  move  him  for  a  week.  Cousin 
Tom,"  said  the  girl,  with  a  coaxing  smile  on  her 
handsome  face.  But  the  smile  gave  place  to  a 
small  frown  when  the  doctor,  after  examining 
his  patient,  said  :  — 

«  You'll  be  fit  to  go  over  the  route  by  Tues- 
day, Jack.  I  think  we  can  let  the  surveyors 
come  in  two  months  earlier  than  I  promised." 

162 


THE  ELECTION  163 

"  That'll  be  great ! "  said  Jack,  but  Sis  did  not 
agree  with  him. 

"  Mr.  Jake,  I  was  defrauded  of  m/  rights  last 
night,"  said  Ruth,  "  but  it  will  not  occur  again, 
for  the  sheriff  has  made  me  his  deputy." 

"  His  dep  —  Well,  I'll  be  —  "  and  the  man's 
eyes  sought  the  mountains. 

Ruth  remained  with  her  brother,  though  she 
could  be  of  little  service  to  him,  for  the  jealous, 
brown-eyed  nurse  was  before  her  in  all  thought- 
fulness,  while  the  men  returned  to  the  village  to 
await  the  result  of  the  election,  which  was  to 
occur  the  next  day. 

There  was  no  opposition  to  Doctor  Tom,  and 
he  polled  an  enormously  heavy  vote ;  for  he  had 
many  friends,  and  of  those  who  were  not  his 
friends  few  objected  to  his  having  the  office. 
They  felt  much  as  Cal  Clay  did  when  he  nomi- 
nated hira,  "What  the  little  cuss'll  do  with  it 
when  he  gits  it  is  more'n  I  know,  but  he  wants 
it,  and  he  must  have  it,"  so  they  turned  out  in 
force  and  voted  for  him.  The  result  was  what 
the  newly  elected  coroner  desired.  A  large  pro- 
portion of  the  voters  of  the  county  were  now 
committed  to  the  installation  of  the  proper  legal 
machinery,  and  it  was  simply  his  duty  to  make 
that  machinery  work.  The  position  had  been 
gained  more  easily  than  he  had  expected.  His 
personal  friends  were  many  and  stanch ;  there 
were  spots  of  thrifty  energy  scattered  through  the 
county,  which  were  certain  to  spread  ;  there  was 


164  DOCTOR  TOM 

a  leaven  at  work  which  made  for  harmony  and 
a  more  neighborly  spirit,  and  he  had  reason  to 
hope  that  the  duties  of  his  office  would  not  prove 
onerous.  He  hailed  with  pleasure  every  evidence 
of  moral  or  physical  improvement,  and  he  was 
pleased  to  think  that  he  had  come  to  Brett  at 
the  exact  moment  when  it  was  beginning  to  shed 
its  half-barbaric  skin  and  to  take  on  the  color  of 
a  better  civilization.  Doctor  Tom  did  not  know 
that  he  was  the  leaven  that  was  stirring  the 
lump,  that  his  useful  mind  and  fearless  spirit 
were  bearing  fruit,  and  that  his  sympathetic 
kindness  was  mellowing  the  hard  lives  of  the 
mountain  people.  In  his  mind  these  conditions 
were  coincident  with,  but  not  a  result  of,  his 
coming,  and  he  congratulated  himself  that  his  lines 
had  fallen  on  easy  times  and  in  pleasant  places. 

The  morning  after  the  election  the  sheriff  said  : 
«  I'm  going  to  make  a  proclaim.  'Tain't  fair  to 
let  the  men  go  on  'tliout  knowin'  there's  a  coro- 
ner waiting  to  do  business." 

« I  reckon  that's  only  fair,  Cal.  Let  the  moun- 
tains know  that  dead  men  have  legal  rights  as 
well  as  burial  rites,  and  that  both  are  to  be 
respected  hereafter." 

The  sheriff  went  into  retirement  for  a  day, 
while  Tom  and  Jack  drove  over  the  route  from 
the  Cove  to  the  siding,  and  the  experienced  eye 
of  the  railroad  man  made  notes  of  grades  and 
cuttings. 

Ruth  and  Sis  were  busy  with  plans  and  prepa- 


THE  ELECTION  165 

rations  for  the  new  life  that  was  dawning  for 
one  of  them. 

"  You'll  be  homesick  for  the  mountains,  Sis, 
and  you'll  smother  in  corsets,  and  gloves  will 
make  your  hands  awkward,  and  high  heels  will 
make  your  feet  ache,  and  you'll  think  you're  in 
jail,  and  you'll  wonder  what's  the  use  of  it  all, 
and  I  won't  tell  you,  for  I  can't.  I  shall  rob  you 
of  a  lot  of  things  and  try  to  pay  you  back,  but 
who  knows  if  I'll  be  able  !  You  must  be  gener- 
ous with  me.  Sis,  and  give  me  long  credit,  for  I 
suppose  I'm  selfish  and  that  I'm  expecting  to  get 
more  than  I'm  prepared  to  give.  I  think  I'd  let 
you  have  my  place  in  the  outside  world  and 
come  to  the  mountains  and  live  in  them  always 
—  with  some  one  who  could  make  me  obey  him 
and  adore  him." 

«  Like  the  sheriff.  Miss  Ruth  ?  " 

"  No,  not  like  the  sheriff.  He  must  be  wiser, 
and  stronger,  and  gentler,  and  handsomer,  and 
nobler,  and  —  " 

«  Yes,  I  know  —  like  Mr.  Jack  ! " 

"  Yes,  Sis,  like  Mr.  Jack,  with  a  difference," 
and  she  kissed  the  girl  for  not  guessing  her  secret, 
though  she  would  have  kissed  her  twice  had  she 
done  so. 

That  evening  the  sheriff's  red  face  and  ex- 
hausted frame  gave  tokens  of  a  strenuous  day ; 
but  there  was  an  expression  of  pride  on  his  good- 
natured  face  as  he  spread  before  the  coroner  a 
copy  of  this  proclamation  :  — 


166  DOCTOR  TOM 

To  all  men ;  to  take  notice ;  to  wit ;  viz  : 

Whereas,  a  coroner  has  been  duly  'lected  in  Brett 
County,  and 

Whereas,  said  coroner  ain't  a-goin'  away,  and 

Whereas,  said  coroner  he  is  bad  medicine  to  monkey 
with,  and 

Whereas,  every  man  don't  want  to  forget  it. 

Therefore,  I,  sheriff  of  Brett,  being  duly  'sembled 
'cordin'  to  law,  do  make  this  proclaim : 

There  ain't  a-goin'  to  be  no  more  killin'  in  these 
mountins.  Leastwise,  if  killin'  is  done,  it  will  grow 
damned  hot  sudden  for  some  one  besides  the  galoot  that 
gets  killed. 

I  am,  sir,  very  sincerely  yours, 

Cal  Clay,  Sheriff. 

«  That's  a  corker,  Cal,  as  well  as  Calvinistic, 
Who  composed  it  ? "  said  Tom,  with  serious 
visage. 

"  I  did,"  said  the  modest  sheriff. 

"  It  does  you  proud,  my  gentle  warrior ;  and 
the  mountain  men  will  know  what  it  means." 

"  I  didn't  git  that  last  line  outer  my  head," 
said  honest  Cal ;  "  that  came  off  a  letter." 

«  It  is  a  polite  ending  to  your  <  proclaim,'  and 
it  will  suffice,"  said  Tom,  and  the  notice  was 
conspicuously  posted. 


CHAPTER    XXVI 

DOCTOR    TOM    DOES   NOT    FIND    HIMSELF 

The  Raymonds  were  to  leave  on  Thursday, 
and,  as  they  wished  to  spend  one  night  in  Brett- 
ville,  Uncle  Jeff  was  to  drive  them  to  that  village 
on  Wednesday  afternoon.  Sis  was  of  the  party, 
for  she  was  to  go  home  with  her  friends  and 
commence  the  new  life  they  had  planned  for  her. 

Tom  walked  over  to  the  Cove  in  the  morning, 
and  returned  by  the  five-mile  trail  in  the  after- 
noon, but  not  alone.  Ruth  said  she  did  not  dare 
risk  her  life  behind  two  such  "  ferocious  beasts  " 
as  she  declared  the  mules  were,  though  she  had 
twice  ridden  safely  behind  them. 

«  Doctor  Tom  can  have  my  place  —  he's  not 
afraid  ;  and  I  will  walk  the  trail  with  Ham,"  said 
the  timid  lady. 

The  buckboard  seat  did  not  appeal  to  Tom, 
for  he  "needed  exercise,"  and  he  and  Ruth 
decided  to  take  the  trail. 

An  emotional  hurricane  struck  Sis,  just  as  the 
parties  were  ready  to  start,  and  nothing  could  be 
done  until  it  had  spent  its  force.  It  played 
havoc  with  Aunt  Hat's  smooth  hair  and  fresh 
gown;  it  carried  the  boys  off  their  stolid  feet; 

167 


168  DOCTOR  TOM 

it  dishevelled  the  dogs ;  and  it  finally  died  out 
among  the  crocks  in  the  spring-house,  whence  the 
girl  emerged  with  smiling,  though  tear-stained, 
face,  and  took  her  place  by  the  side  of  Jack. 
Love  of  home  was  as  intense  in  Sis  as  was  every 
other  emotion,  and  she  could  not  break  loose 
without  a  general  upheaval. 

"  Doctor  Tom,  what  do  you  think  of  your 
reformation  ?  Are  you  satisfied  ?  "  said  Ruth, 
when  they  reached  the  summit  of  the  pass. 

« I'm  not  satisfied,  but  I'm  more  than  pleased. 
I  cannot  claim  it,  though,  for  I  only  happened 
to  come  here  just  as  a  new  life  was  beginning  to 
blow  over  these  hills.  I've  had  a  lot  of  pleasure 
watching  it,  but  it  isn't  mine." 

"  No,  I  suppose  not ;  but  it's  here,  isn't  it  ? 
You've  watched  it,  you  are  interested,  and  you 
are  contented  to  live  with  it  and  see  how  it 
works  out  ?  " 

« It's  the  thing  at  hand.  Miss  Ruth,  and  that's 
the  only  thing  I  am  up  to.  I  can't  plan  great 
things  as  Jack  does,  or  as  most  men  do,  but  I 
must  be  content  with  the  small  ones.  They  need 
me  here ;  they  need  my  professional  care,  for 
they're  a  long-sufFering  people  in  every  way,  and 
I'm  fitted  physically  and  financially  to  serve 
them." 

"  I  don't  think  you  overestimate  your  quali- 
fications. Doctor  Tom,  and  I  do  think  they  need 
you  ;  but  do  people  always  get  what  they  need  ? 
It  would  be  a  dear  world  to  live  in  if  they  did." 


DOCTOR  TOM  DOES  NOT  FIND  HIMSELF    169 

"  Don't  think  that  I  give  more  than  I  get, 
Miss  Ruth,  for  I  do  not." 

"  That's  truer  than  you  know  in  some  things, 
and  it  may  take  you  a  very  long  time  to  find 
out  hov^  true  it  is.     But  are  you  happy  here  ?  " 

"  I'm  happy  in  dreaming  here,"  said  Tom. 

"  Does  modest,  practical  Doctor  Tom  dream  ? 
Of  what  stuff  are  his  dreams  made,  one  would 
like  to  know  ?  " 

"  Of  a  red-brown  improbability,  Miss  Ruth, 
only  to  be  dreamed  of  and  striven  for." 

"  In  the  mountains,  Doctor  Tom  ?  " 

"  In  them  but  not  of  them.  Miss  Ruth." 

"You  must  tell  me  about   it  sometime,  will 


you 


?» 


"  I'll  not  be  able  to  keep  from  doing  so.  Miss 
Ruth." 

The  girl  faced  him  in  the  trail,  her  eyes  shin- 
ing up  toward  his,  and  her  beautiful  lips  trem- 
bling and  happy. 

"  You  will  find  yourself  sometime.  Doctor  Tom, 
and  it  will  be  worth  while.  Others  have  found 
you ;  but  there  is  no  haste  in  the  universe,  and 
if  you  do  not  arrive  in  a  thousand  years  you  will 
be  all  the  better.  Did  you  ever  know  the  pleas- 
ure of  waiting  for  some  wonderful  thing  of  which 
you  were  assured  ?  I  suppose  not.  Well,  I 
recommend  you  to  try  it  if  you  wish  to  be 
supremely  happy,"  and  the  girl  ran  swiftly  down 
the  trail  and  visited  with  Ham  for  the  rest  of 
the  journey. 


170  DOCTOR  TOM 

Major  Brett  had  invited  the  party  from  the 
Cove  to  dine  at  his  residence,  and  an  hour  before 
that  function  he  and  Miss  Cora  made  a  formal 
call  upon  the  strangers. 

At  the  appointed  hour,  Ruth,  Sis,  Jack,  and 
Tom  presented  themselves  at  the  "  residence," 
and  were  cordially  greeted  by  the  Major,  who 
was  always  at  his  best  under  his  own  roof-tree. 
The  courtly  graces  of  his  high-born  ancestors  had 
lost  little  in  the  twelve  generations  which  inter- 
vened between  the  cavalier  and  this  mountain 
gentleman,  and  what  of  superficial  elegance  had 
been  lost  was  more  than  compensated  by  a 
gentleness  of  heart  which  was  a  legacy  of  the 
century. 

«  Miss  Ruth,  I  am  old  and  conservative,  but  if 
innovations  bring  such  visitations  in  their  trains, 
I  welcome  the  railroad  and  all  that  comes  with 
it,"  and  he  bowed  over  the  girl's  hand  with 
courtly  grace. 

"  The  only  advantage  in  a  railroad.  Major,  is 
that  it  makes  such  gracious  conservatism  acces- 
sible," said  Ruth. 

«  Ah,  if  I  were  a  young  man  !  " 

« It's  mighty  lucky  for  us  that  you  are  not," 
said  Tom.  « You  make  our  lives  difficult  as  it 
is." 

«  But  think  of  the  example  ! "  said  Ruth. 

"  Miss  Sis,  I  am  glad  to  welcome  you  to  my 
residence,"  said  the  Major ;  "  I  have  known  your 
father,  Jefferson  Thompson,  many  years,  and,  al- 


DOCTOR  TOM  DOES  NOT  FIND  HIMSELF    171 

though  we  have  had  serious  differences  over 
national  affairs,  I  have  learned  to  respect  him 
as  a  worthy  citizen  and  an  honorable  man.  I 
hope,  miss,  you  will  form  a  friendship  for  my 
daughter,  who  is  the  pride  and  joy  of  her  old 
father's  heart,"  and  the  gallant  Major  looked 
affectionately  at  the  beautiful,  yellow-haired  girl, 
who  had  fastened  Tom  in  a  distant  corner. 

« Do  you  think  she's  beautiful,  Tom  Hen- 
dricks? Well,  I  don't.  Her  hair's  red,  —  yes, 
it  is,  and  you  needn't  shake  your  head ;  and  she 
has  no  color,  and  I  believe  her  lips  are  painted, 
and  my  !  how  she  must  lace !  and  I  know  her 
shoes  are  too  small,  and  any  one  would  look  nice 
in  a  dress  like  that,  and  —  " 

« She  is  your  guest.  Miss  Cora,  and  you're 
going  to  be  all  kinds  of  nice  to  her,  you  know." 

« Well,  I  shan't  say  she's  handsome.  Doctor 
Tom,  if  I  am  nice  to  her.  Just  look  at  Sis,  — 
she's  a  beauty  ! " 

«  But  I  don't  have  to  look  so  far,"  said  Tom, 
and  Cora  was  sweet  to  her  guests  all  the  evening. 

"  Mr.  Raymond,  suh,  it  is  so  seldom  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  meeting  a  man  of  affairs,  —  of  large 
interests,  I  may  say,  —  that  this  occasion  gives 
me  the  liveliest  satisfaction.  Life  in  my  native 
town,  suh,  while  filled  with  daily  duties,  does 
not  furnish  the  scope  for  expansion  in  enter- 
prise and  finance-  which  is  found  in  populous 
cities.  I  am  glad  to  know,  suh,  that  the  county- 
seat  of  Brett  County  is  to  be  united,  at  no  dis- 


172  DOCTOE  TOM 

tant  time,  with  some  of  the  most  noted  marts  of 
the  world ;  and  I  may  express  the  hope,  may  I 
not  say  the  belief,  that  this  union  will  be  of 
mutual  benefit.  I  tender  you  my  personal 
thanks,  suh,  for  the  active  and  efficient  part  you 
have  taken  in  this  matter.  I  shall  esteem  it  a 
privilege  to  aid  this  undertaking  in  every  way, 
so  far  as  my  limited  influence  extends,  suh." 

Jack  thanked  the  Major  for  his  kindly  expres- 
sions and  for  his  interest  in  the  railroad,  and 
expressed  himself  in  full  accord  with  his  host's 
views  as  to  the  mutual  advantages  of  the  enter- 
prise. The  evening  was  pleasant  and  satisfac- 
tory to  all. 

« In  my  orisons,  I  shall  remember  the  railroad. 
Miss  Ruth,  if  the  advent  of  the  first  train  will 
bring  you  again  to  Brettville,"  said  the  gallant 
Major,  as  he  bent  over  the  girl's  hand  in  good-by. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  the  Ray- 
monds and  Sis  said  good-by  to  Tom  on  their 
car  at  the  siding.  Tom  promised  Jack  that  the 
right  of  way  should  be  secured  in  time  for  the 
preliminary  survey  to  be  made  in  early  November, 
and  Jack,  on  his  side,  promised  that  there  should 
be  no  unnecessary  delay  in  pushing  the  road  to 
completion. 

"  When  we  get  the  rails  laid  as  far  as  the 
Cove,  I  shall  come  down  and  make  some  kind  of 
a  deal  with  Uncle  Jeff  for  developing  his  min- 
erals. I  suppose  a  royalty  on  the  output  would 
be  the  best  arrangement  for  him,  as  he  would 


DOCTOR  TOM  DOES  NOT  FIND  HIMSELF    173 

probably  not  sell,  and  as  he  cannot  furnish  the 
necessary  capital  to   exploit  them,"    said    Jack. 

"  I  don't  think  Uncle  Jeff  would  be  willing  to 
sell,"  said  Tom  ;  "  but  you  must  come  prepared 
to  make  a  liberal  proposition,  for  he  can  get  all 
the  money  he  needs,  if  it  seems  best  for  him  to 
work  the  mines,"  answered  Tom. 

"  I  forgot  that  he  was  uncle  to  Croesus,"  said 
the  man  of  affairs,  "  but  I'll  remember  the  hint." 

"  The  coroner  is  guardian  of  the  mountains 
and  all  that  in  them  is,"  said  Ruth,  "  and  it  be- 
hooves us  and  all  outside  folk  to  deal  fairly  with 
them,  on  pain  of  his  displeasure.  But  you  must 
not  forget,  Mr.  Guardian,  that  we  have  interests 
—  vital  ones,  too  —  in  these  same  mountains, 
and  we're  going  to  watch  them  with  jealous 
eyes.  I  have  surprised  a  state  secret,  and  you 
can  no  longer  reign  alone." 

«  Glorious  day  for  me  and  for  the  mountains, 
Miss  Ruth,"  said  Tom,  while  his  gray  eyes 
absorbed  the  girl. 

Ruth  came  close  in  front  of  the  man  and 
frankly  looked  into  his  sunburned  face.  "  I've 
thought  things  out,"  she  said,  "  but  I  shall  not 
give  you  the  result.  You  are  very  wise,  Doctor 
Tom,  in  some  things,  and  you  must  work  out 
your  problems  in  your  own  way.  It  doesn't 
matter  if  you  don't  find  yourself  for  a  thousand 
years,  for  your  limit  is  infinite,  and  years  are 
nothing  when  one  is  assured.  You  have  trusted 
me  with  Sis ;  will  you  not  trust  me  with  time  ? 


174  DOCTOR  TOM 

I  shall  not  write  you  often,  but  I  shall  forget  you, 
Doctor  Tom,  no  more  than  you  will  forget  me," 
and  she  left  him. 

Poor,  stupid  Doctor  Tom !  He  admitted 
slowness  and  awkwardness  in  comprehending 
women,  and  no  one  could  accuse  him  of  making 
an  incorrect  diagnosis  of  his  case.  He  must, 
indeed,  work  out  his  own  problem  in  his  own 
way. 

Sis  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck,  and  her 
tears  washed  his  face. 

"  Oh,  Cousin  Tom,  yo'-all  have  been  good  to 
me,  and  I  won't  forgit  it,  and  I  love  yo',  and  I'll 
do  what  yo'  want,  and  I  wish  you  would  take 
me  back,  and  be  good  to  Ham  and  Dad,  and 
don't  yo'  speak  to  Kit  Clay,  and  isn't  Mr.  Jack 
beautiful,  and  Miss  Ruth's  going  to  take  me  to  the 
play,  and  I  wish  I  could  stay  in  the  mountains, 
and  I  do  love  yo',  Cousin  Tom,"  and  the  girl 
threw  herself  on  the  couch,  which  was  moist 
with  her  tears  as  the  train  pulled  away. 


CHAPTER   XXVII 

THE     BIGHT     OF     WAY 

"  Major  Brett,  have  you  any  sort  of  pull  on 
old  Mike  McCall  ?  "  asked  Tom,  two  days  later. 
"  He's  the  chief  obstruction  in  our  right  of  way, 
and  if  he  can  be  overcome,  there'll  be  mighty 
little  trouble  from  the  others." 

"  If  by  '  pull '  you  mean  influence,  sub,  I  will 
say  that  I  may  lay  claim  to  some  small  amount 
without  doing  injustice  to  either  of  us,  suh.  But 
the  influence  of  which  I  speak  is  not  so  much  of 
a  personal  as  of  a  monetary  or  financial  nature, 
and  I  should  be  loth  to  make  it  operative,  suh, 
until  milder  measures  have  failed." 

« I  suppose  you  have  an  old  mortgage  on  his 
acres,  Major  ?  " 

« I  should  hardly  speak  of  it  as  '  old,'  suh,  for, 
if  my  memory  serves,  it  is  scarcely  more  than 
fifty  years  since  the  instrument  was  drawn.  Of 
course,  suh,  it  has  been  renewed  on  several  oc- 
casions," said  the  Major. 

«  Has  the  interest  been  paid  ?  "  asked  Tom. 

"  Casually,  suh,  casually." 

"May  I  ask  the  amount  of  the  mortgage, 
Major  ? " 

175 


176  DOCTOR  TOM 

«  I  do  not  think  I  am  breaking  confidence,  suh, 
when  I  inform  you  that  the  original  amount  was 
five  hundred  dollars  ;  but  I  speak  it  in  your  ear, 
suh,  I  speak  it  in  your  ear." 

"  It  shall  go  no  farther,"  promised  Tom.  "  Do 
you  not  think.  Major,  that,  if  this  mortgage  were 
cancelled,  McCall  would  feel  disposed  to  withdraw 
his  veto  to  the  right  of  way  ?  " 

«  Undoubtedly,  suh,  undoubtedly.  But,  my 
dear  suh,  it  is  against  the  traditions  of  our  family 
to  cancel  an  unrequited  mortgage.  We  give 
ample  time,  —  in  some  instances,  protracted 
time,  —  we  have  documents  which  received  their 
first  signature  deep  in  the  last  century,  suh, — 
but  we  look  for  ultimate  payment." 

"  But,  Major,  if  we  can  anticipate  the  ultimate, 
will  it  not  be  well  for  all  concerned  ?  " 

"  I  fear  I  do  not  gather  your  meaning,  suh.  It 
would  be  quite  inconvenient,  not  to  say  impos- 
sible, for  Mike  McCall  to  liquidate  this  indebted- 
ness at  the  present  time,  suh,  and  I  would  not 
press  him  unduly,"  said  the  kindly  creditor. 

"We'll  not  press  him  at  all,"  replied  Tom. 
« I'll  buy  the  mortgage  and  then  buy  the  right  of 
w^ay  with  the  document ;  but  I  would  rather  not 
appear  in  the  transaction." 

"It  is  unusual  generosity,  Doctor  Hendricks, 
and  I  am  not  surprised,  suh,  for  I  am  learning  to 
look  to  you  for  the  unusual.  But,  is  it  wise,  suh, 
is  it  prudent,  is  it  in  accord  with  good  business 
principles  ?      You  can  undoubtedly,  suh,  attain 


THE  EIGHT  OF  WAY  177 

your  object  by  the  expenditure  of  a  much  smaller 
sum  of  money,  —  perhaps,  indeed,  without  ex- 
pense." The  kindly  banker  was  now  uppermost, 
and  the  Major  felt  called  upon  to  protect  Tom's 
interests. 

"  I  know,  Major,  but  I  wish  to  do  something 
for  the  McCalls.  Old  Mike  has  Black  Jack's 
family  on  his  hands,  and,  I  don't  mind  saying 
it  to  you,  I  was  indirectly  instrumental  in  placing 
it  there,  —  a  case  of  'first  law  of  nature,'  you 
understand." 

"  A  wonderfully  beneficent  action  of  nature's 
first  law,  suh  !  The  result  should  be  cause  of 
congratulation  both  to  you  and  to  the  county, 
for  Black  Jack  was  not  a  desirable  citizen,  suh, 
even  in  a  restricted  sense,"  said  the  soft-hearted 
cavalier,  flushing  at  his  unwonted  severity. 

«  Now  you  see,  Major,  why  I  should  like  to  do 
this,  and  why,  also,  I  had  best  not  appear  in  it," 
said  Tom. 

"  I  recognize  your  generous  and  modest  nature, 
suh,  and  I  will  serve  you  in  this  matter  as  in  all 
others." 

"  Cancel  the  mortgage,  then.  Major.  We  will 
subtract  the  amount  from  my  package,  and  to- 
morrow we'll  drive  over  and  interview  old  Mike." 

«  As  you  say,  suh,  as  you  say,"  and  they  parted. 

On  the  morrow,  Tom  drove  the  Major  and 
Cora  to  the  siding  and  around  the  shoulder  of 
the  mountain  to  McCall's  place.  It  was  perfectly 
natural  to  invite  Cora,  for  the  girl  was  inseparable 


178  DOCTOR  TOM 

from  her  father,  and  was  almost  entirely  de- 
pendent upon  him  and  Doctor  Tom  for  com- 
panionship, and  she  accepted  the  invitation  as  a 
matter  of  course.  Cora  was  in  daily  companion- 
ship with  Doctor  Tom,  and  her  untutored  heart 
had  long  since  succumbed  to  his  attractions.  She 
tried  reasonably  hard  to  hide  her  love,  but  it  was 
hidden  only  from  its  object  and  from  her  doting 
father. 

Cora  was  a  beautiful,  lonesome  girl,  who  could 
not  adjust  herself  to  her  surroundings  except 
through  the  medium  of  requited  love,  and  this, 
poor  girl,  was  denied  her  in  the  only  direction 
from  which  it  was  acceptable.  In  birth,  beauty, 
education,  and  refinement,  she  had  no  equal  in 
the  mountains,  and  her  isolation  was  complete 
until  the  new  doctor  came  into  her  life  like  a 
promise  of  liberation.  It  was  only  natural,  then, 
that  she  should  claim  him  by  right  of  every 
advantage  which  she  held  over  her  sisters  of 
the  hills,  and  she  tried  to  establish  her  claim 
by  every  art  of  a  charming,  though  crudely 
cultivated,  personality.  She  was  a  pleasant  com- 
panion and  a  charming  comrade,  and  Tom  gave 
her  real  friendship  and  brotherly  affection ;  but 
only  these,  for  his  heart  was  entangled  in  meshes 
of  red-brown  which  absorbed  his  interest  and 
made  him  oblivious  to  conditions  which  were 
patent  to  all  others.  His  dulness  in  things 
feminine  and  his  preoccupation  were  the  only 
excuses  to  be  made  for  him.     They  were  valid, 


THE  EIGHT  OF  WAY  179 

however,  for  they  were  real,  and  he  would  cheer- 
fully have  given  an  arm  rather  than  bring  sorrow 
to  Cora  or  disappointment  to  the  Major.  Blind 
Doctor  Tom  was  destined  to  have  trouble  in  his 
own  heart  and  to  cause  tumult  in  the  hearts  of 
others  without  being  able  to  clear  his  own  path 
or  to  make  straight  the  way  for  his  neighbor. 
There  was  no  affectation  in  his  modesty ;  it 
was  the  natural  product  of  a  mind  which  claimed 
no  credit  for  right  doing  and  no  merit  in  right 
living,  for  they  were  simple,  hourly  functions  of 
which  he  took  no  thought. 

Cora  wore  her  heart  on  her  sleeve  for  months, 
and  Tom  never  saw  it ;  but  he  did  see  a  higher 
light  in  Jake  Thompson's  fiery  eyes  whenever 
they  rested  on  Cora  Brett,  and  he  knew  that 
Jake  was  storing  up  emotions  against  the  day 
of  eruption,  when  they  would  become  irresistible. 
Thus  far  Jake  had  spoken  no  word  to  Cora,  but 
at  every  opportunity  he  gazed  at  her  fervently 
until  the  limit  of  his  short  endurance  was  reached, 
and,  as  he  turned  away,  his  lips  would  mould  a 
sentence  which  any  one  who  knew  him  well  could 
readily  translate.  The  mollifying  influences  of  less 
whiskey,  better  food,  better  clothes,  more  books, 
and  more  money  were  being  felt  at  Thompson's 
Cove,  and  the  visits  of  the  Raymonds,  added  to 
Tom's  life  there,  had  been  vivid  object-lessons 
in  personal  refinement.  Social  conditions  had 
changed  in  a  year,  and  it  did  not  seem  un- 
reasonable to   Tom    that   another  year   or  two 


180  DOCTOR  TOM 

would  put  Jake  Thompson  on  a  plane  where  he 
could  hope  to  be  successful  with  the  mountain 
beauty  who  now  cared  naught  for  him.  Wealth 
in  abundance  would  come  to  the  Cove  people 
within  a  short  time,  and  match-making  Doctor 
Tom  had  already  built  the  temple  of  happiness 
for  Cora  and  Jake,  and  he  saw  no  flaw  in  the 
structure. 

The  long  day  with  Tom  was  long  joy  to  the 
girl,  and  it  was  but  moderately  interrupted  by 
the  two  hours'  visit  at  McCall's,  where  they 
tasted  mountain  hospitality,  both  fluid  and  solid. 
Major  Brett  transacted  the  business  with  his 
usual  felicity. 

« It  is  thought  wise,  suh,"  said  the  dapper 
little  man  to  the  grizzled  mountaineer,  "  by  the 
parties  interested  in  the  contemplated  extension 
of  this  railroad,  to  offer  you,  suh,  a  bonus,  an 
honorarium,  a  compensation,  suh,  for  the  right 
of  way  across  your  property.  This  right  of  way, 
I  may  inform  you,  suh,  can  be  obtained,  at 
greatly  reduced  cost  to  the  company,  by  ordinary 
condemnation  proceedings  in  the  county  court 
under  the  law  of  eminent  domain, — a  law,  suh, 
formed  for  the  benefit  of  the  community  rather 
than  for  the  individual.  It  is  not  the  wish  of 
the  interested  parties  to  institute  proceedings  of 
any  kind,  suh.  On  the  other  hand,  they  desire 
the  closest  reciprocity  and  the  most  amicable 
relations  ;  and,  with  this  end  in  view,  they  offer  lib- 
eral —  I  may  even  say  generous  —  compensation. 


THE  EIGHT  OF  WAY  181 

The  mortgage  on  these  acres,  suh,  which  has 
been  a  valuable  asset  of  the  Brett  Bank  since  the 
early  forties,  has  been  liquidated,  suh,  and  I  have 
now  the  pleasure  of  placing  it  in  your  hands 
cancelled  and  discharged  in  due  form.  In  re- 
turn, suh,  the  company  looks  for  permission  to 
cross  your  domain,  and,  what  will  be  esteemed 
still  more  highly,  a  friendly  personal  attitude  on 
your  part,  suh." 

"  Don't  know  'bout  that  thar  railroad,  Majah. 
Hain't  never  had  no  railroad  up  the  branch,  and 
I  reckon  I  can  skin  'long  'thout  it,"  said  McCall. 

"  Quite  true,  suh,  quite  true !  But  at  the 
county-seat,  suh,  we  feel  that  it  is  high  time 
some  of  the  world's  marts  were  brought  into 
closer  relation  with  us  for  variety  of  interest  and 
mutual  benefit.  I  may  say,  suh,  that  we  are 
quite  unanimous  in  this  view,  and  it  will  be 
difficult  to  dissuade  us  from  it." 

«I  don't  say  I  won't,  Majah,  but  what  if  I 
don't  sign  your  paper  ?  "  asked  old  Mike. 

"  I  can  scarcely  imagine  a  more  disagreeable 
alternative,  suh !  From  the  fact  that  I  have 
made  some  effort  to  place  this  matter  before  you 
in  a  lucid  and  attractive  manner  and  have  given 
you  my  individual  opinion  and  advice,  suh,  I 
shall  look  upon  your  failure  to  coincide,  in  some 
measure,  with  my  views,  as  a  personal  matter, 
suh,  a  distinctly  personal  matter  !  "  and  the  little 
man  threw  his  head  back,  that  he  might  look 
into  the  eyes  of  the  man  who  towered  above  him. 


182  DOCTOR  TOM 

«  Well,  Majah,  I  ain't  goin'  to  cut  off  my  nose 
jes'  fer  the  fun  of  fightin'  a  little  game-cock! 
I'll  sign  your  paper  and  git  the  boys  to  go  on  it, 
too ;  and  I  reckon  I'm  shore  glad  to  see  that  old 
mortgage." 

"  I  congratulate  you  on  the  most  effective  day 
of  your  life,  suh,"  and  the  Major  cordially  shook 
the  hand  of  the  grizzled  mountaineer.  "  You  may 
be  sure,  McCall,  that  the  new  road  will  not  only 
enhance  the  value  of  your  arable  land,  but  it  will 
also  afford  you  an  opportunity  of  disposing  of 
the  minerals  in  your  hills  to  advantage,  suh." 

With  Mike  McCall  to  the  fore,  the  balance  of 
the  right  of  way  was  easily  obtained,  and  Tom's 
mission  work,  so  far  as  related  to  the  railroad, 
w^as  finished.  The  surveyors  came  in,  and  ran 
their  lines  over  the  twenty  miles  from  the  siding 
through  the  Cove  to  Brettville  ;  and  they  were  at 
once  followed  by  engineers  and  laborers,  who 
pushed  the  work  with  such  speed  as  they  could 
through  the  mild  winter  months  and  to  its 
completion  during  the  following  summer. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII 

LOVE    YOUK    ENEMIES 

The  first  two  weeks  in  Cincinnati  were  trying 
ones  for  Sis.  Some  degree  of  homesickness, 
mingled  with  strange  sights,  sounds,  and  expe- 
riences, made  a  combination  which  was  never 
remembered  with  pleasure.  Everything  was  so 
far  removed  from  her  habit  and  conception  of 
life  that  it  required  courage  of  the  finest  kind  to 
meet  them  without  flinching.  Quick  apprehen- 
sion and  constant  alertness  kept  her  from  dis- 
agreeable mistakes,  and  her  spirit  was  so  fearless 
that  she  could  wait  until  she  saw  her  way  fairly 
clear  without  loss  of  composure.  She  often, 
however,  fled  to  her  room  to  recover  from  doubt 
or  threatened  disaster ;  and  it  was  generally 
believed  that  the  cushions  of  her  sofa  could 
almost  match  the  crocks  of  the  spring-house  in 
tales  of  tempestuous  times.  Her  room  was  both 
refuge  and  Eden  to  Sis,  —  it  was  the  garden  of 
new  life,  and  it  was  sacred.  Larger  than  the 
living  part  of  her  home,  it  seemed  enormous; 
richly,  though  simply,  furnished,  as  befitted  a 
girl's  room,  it  was  to  her  gorgeous ;  while  the 
tall  windows  by  day,  and  the  electric  lamps  by 

183 


184  DOCTOR  TOM 

night,  furnished  an  illumination  which  marked 
both  day  and  night  as  gala  time.  Her  eyes  were 
out  of  all  proportion  to  the  rest  of  her  face  for 
weeks,  but  they  were  brave  eyes,  and  they 
gathered  much.  Her  tongue  was  unduly  silent, 
except  when  she  was  alone  with  Ruth,  but  it 
quickly  learned  the  forms  of  speech  that  were 
common  to  her  new  friends,  though  it  never  lost 
its  soft  mountain  cadence.  She  half  starved  her- 
self at  first,  in  the  fear  that  Mr.  Jack  would  catch 
her  tripping  in  table  etiquette,  and  she  strove 
diligently  to  lessen  her  stride  and  diminish  her 
impetuosity,  but  without  complete  success. 

Ruth  was  perfect  in  her  management  of  the 
girl.  She  lived  with  her  and  for  her  and  never 
for  a  moment  thought  she  received  less  than  she 
gave.  She  was  glad  to  give  advice,  when  it  was 
asked,  but  she  rarely  volunteered  it,  and  never 
showed  annoyance.  She  loved  Sis  dearly,  she 
admired  her  for  much,  she  trusted  her  for  all, 
and  she  was  willing  that  she  should  adjust  her- 
self to  her  new  life  with  entire  freedom.  Each 
day  added  fresh  evidence  of  the  wisdom  of  this 
plan.  Sis's  innate  strength  and  rectitude  of  mind 
were  supplemented  by  keenness  of  perce^ption  and 
vigor  of  judgment  which  made  it  not  only  possi- 
ble, but  wise,  to  leave  the  solution  of  most  prob- 
lems to  her  unaided  effort.  Sis  could  get  right 
on  most  questions  by  following  simple  and  direct 
lines,  which  were,  in  her  mind,  as  well  marked 
as  were  the  trails  on  her  mountains.     Some  of 


LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  186 

these  lines  were  not  highways  of  reason,  and 
some  were  untraced  in  logic  and  psychology  ;  but 
they  terminated  at  safe  goals,  and  they  sufficed. 

The  affectionate  admiration  which  Sis  felt  for 
Ruth  was  unlimited.  This  exquisite  product  of 
generations  of  wealth  and  culture  was  a  revela- 
tion to  the  mountain  girl,  who  was  ready  to  pour 
out  the  abundance  of  her  heart  in  sisterly  love 
and  admiration.  To  grow  like  this  wondrous 
sister  was  the  thing  she  most  desired,  and  she 
devoured  and  absorbed  her  with  hungry  eyes  and 
mind.  Dressmakers  and  outfitters  gave  Sis  a  lot 
of  trouble,  and,  it  is  within  reason  to  believe,  they, 
in  turn,  were  not  entirely  happy.  But  she  bore 
with  them  with  such  patience  as  she  could  com- 
mand, for  she  saw  that  Ruth  was  always  sun- 
shiny and  gracious.  The  result  was  that  Sis  was 
clothed  like  the  lilies,  as  Tom  had  requested  and 
at  his  expense,  though,  of  course,  she  did  not 
know  this.  She  drove  with  Ruth  each  afternoon, 
and  was  the  centre  of  no  small  attraction ;  and 
this,  too,  was  unknown  to  her.  Twice  during 
the  first  week,  while  driving,  she  created  a  sen- 
sation by  walking  out  of  the  victoria,  once  to 
empty  her  purse  into  the  cap  of  a  blind  beggar, 
the  other  time  to  box  the  ears  of  a  half-grown 
lad  who  was  beating  a  little  fellow.  Ruth 
smiled,  as  she  stopped  the  carriage,  and  said, 
« That  will  make  the  poor  man  happy,"  or, 
«  Good  enough  for  the  big  brute ;  "  but  she  never 
let  Sis  know  that  it  was  not  conventional   to 


186  DOCTOE  TOM 

walk  out  of  a  victoria  at  full  trot,  or  that  she 
herself  could  do  it  with  equal  grace  and  strength. 

The  second  Sunday  at  the  Raymonds'  was  a  day 
to  be  remembered.  Sis  was  to  attend  service  for 
the  first  time  in  a  real  church,  and,  consequently, 
the  day  was  filled  with  strange  emotions  for  this 
intense  girl.  She  would  be  beautifully  clothed, 
she  would  drive  to  the  church  with  Mr.  Jack  and 
Miss  Ruth,  she  would  sit  between  them  in  the 
Raymond  pew,  she  would,  perhaps,  read  the  les- 
son from  the  same  book  with  Mr.  Jack,  she 
would  be  surrounded  by  a  throng  of  cultivated 
men  and  women  like  Mr.  Jack,  Ruth,  and  Tom 
(not  nearly  so  nice,  of  course^,  she  would  see  the 
painted  windows,  hear  the  music,  and  listen  to 
the  words  of  the  wise  man  who  had  called 
twice  at  the  Raymonds'  and  whom  everybody 
thought  so  handsome.  Not  everybody,  though ; 
for  Ruth  stood  firm  for  the  unrivalled  beauty  of 
the  big  sheriff  of  Brett,  while  Sis  ^vVas  sure  that 
Mr.  Jack  was  much  handsomer  than  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Whitewood. 

The  morning  was  fine,  the  drive  all  that  the 
girl  had  expected,  and  the  church  impressed  and 
soothed  her.  As  she  sat  in  the  soft-cushioned 
pew  between  Jack  and  Ruth,  the  mellow  light 
from  the  many-colored  windows  cast  a  spell  over 
her.  It  was  unusual  —  it  was  not  of  her  world  — 
it  was  more  than  the  realization  of  all  that  she 
had  dreamed ;  and  when  the  organ  rolled  out  a 
glorious  anthem,  its  deep  tones  shook  her  until 


LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  187 

she  trembled  and  bowed  as  before  a  mighty 
wind.  She  tried  to  clasp  her  hands,  to  feel  her- 
self in  any  way,  but  the  touch  of  her  fingers 
through  the  unaccustomed  gloves  was  strange 
and  unnatural,  and  only  added  to  the  unreality 
of  the  situation.  Tears  ran  unheeded  down  her 
cheeks.  She  did  not  know  why  ;  indeed,  she  did 
not  know  that  tears  were  flowing  until  Ruth's 
firm  little  hand  shut  down  hard  on  her  trem- 
bling ones,  Ruth's  handkerchief  touched  her 
cheek,  and  Ruth's  voice,  close  to  her  ear,  said : 
«  That  was  a  beautiful  voluntary,  and  Mr.  Falk 
will  be  proud  when  he  knows  what  a  tribute 
you  have  paid  him;  I  could  easily  cry,  though  I 
have  heard  it  a  score  of  times." 

Ruth's  firm  touch  and  steady  voice  brought 
the  girl  back  to  earth  and  held  her  there.  The 
service  was  beautiful  to  all  her  senses,  though  so 
new  and  strange  that  she  comprehended  but 
little,  and  did  not  even  mechanically  follow  it. 
A  religious  ecstasy  crept  into  her  excitable  brain 
and  culminated  in  a  fervent  desire  to  dwell  al- 
ways in  the  house  of  God,  to  breathe  the  sweet 
incense,  to  hear  divine  music,  to  live  in  the  mel- 
low light,  and  to  hold  aloof  from  the  hard  world. 
This  ecstasy  was  increased  when  the  white-robed 
clergyman  read,  in  his  melodious  voice,  a  part  of 
the  most  wonderful  sermon  that  was  ever 
preached,  and  selected  for  his  text  that  injunc- 
tion which  is  so  difficult  to  follow,  —  "Love 
your  enemies." 


188  DOCTOR   TOM 

Sis  had  read  this  text  often  enough,  but  it  had 
always  seemed  entirely  impersonal  and  remote  — 
a  precept  adapted  to  conditions  far  removed  from 
those  which  surrounded  her,  and  one  which  could 
in  no  way  be  fitted  to  her  life.  Surprise  shone 
in  her  eyes  as  the  clergyman  spoke  of  it  as  a  liv- 
ing principle ;  dull  indifference  followed  when  he 
made  it  personal ;  and  the  eyebrows  contracted 
and  anger  made  the  eyes  hard  when  he  declared 
it  was  an  essential  part  of  right  living.  Sis  was 
in  open  rebellion.  She  would  not  accept  this 
teaching  from  any  man,  especially  not  from  a 
man  whose  every  look  proved  that  he  knew 
nothing  of  the  nature  of  an  enemy,  as  defined  in 
her  mind.  The  sermon  lost  interest  for  her  at 
once,  and  she  tried  to  shut  out  the  voice  of  the 
preacher  by  filling  her  mind  with  thoughts  of 
the  preceding  service,  which  had  been  so  wonder- 
ful. She  did  not  succeed,  for  the  ever  recurring 
word  "  enemy  "  carried  her  to  the  mountains  and 
made  vivid  the  mountain  meaning  of  the  term. 
No  one  at  home  would  sit  patiently  while  being 
told  that  the  Macs  were  to  be  loved ;  even  the 
dogs  knew  better  I  Then  she  wished  for  Ham  ; 
and  she  wondered  if  he  would  not  growl  and 
ruffle  his  back  if  he  heard  such  things ;  and  what 
would  he  think  of  her  hands  with  that  queer, 
tight  skin  on  them  ;  and  would  he  care  to  have 
her  roll  his  ears  with  such  awkward  hands ;  and 
could  she  let  him  put  his  head  into  her  lap,  on 
the  delicate  gown;  and  weren't  Ham  and  the 


LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  189 

serge  gown  best,  after  all  ?  And  then  every  one 
stood  up,  and  the  dear  service  and  the  depressing 
sermon  were  over.  Sis  was  quiet  during  the 
home  drive,  and  at  dinner,  to  which  the  clergy- 
man was  invited,  and  through  the  afternoon. 
She  came  to  life  once,  however,  with  startling 
effect  upon  the  Reverend  Mr.  Whitewood. 

The  rector  of  Saint  Mark's,  his  manly  form  at 
ease  in  a  deep  chair  before  the  fire  in  the  Ray- 
mond library,  was  at  his  best  that  Sunday  after- 
noon. He  had  preached  a  good  sermon,  and  he 
knew  it ;  he  had  eaten  an  excellent  dinner,  and 
he  appreciated  it ;  he  was  at  easy  peace  with  the 
world,  and  he  was  thankful ;  he  was  among  his 
dearest  friends,  and  he  was  content.  Small  won- 
der that  his  cheerful  smile  expanded  when  Jack 
said :  — 

"  Whitewood,  that  was  a  splendid  sermon,  but 
a  mighty  hard  proposition." 

"  God's  love  and  the  love  of  God  often  make 
hard  propositions  easy,  don't  they,  Jack  ?  "  an- 
swered the  clergyman. 

"  Yes,  sometimes  ;  but  this  is  a  stumper.  How 
is  a  fellow  going  to  love  a  man  who  cuts  rates, 
swipes  freight,  or  puts  a  grade-crossing  on  his 
right  of  way  ?  Such  things  were  not  contem- 
plated when  that  order  was  wired,"  said  the 
railroad  man. 

«  This  order  was  made  for  all  people  and  for 
all  times,  and  for  us  to  obey.  I  look  upon  it  as 
the  true  test  of  Christian  sincerity,  and  I  seriously 


190  DOCTOR  TOM 

doubt  the  state  of  grace  of  one  who  cannot  love 
his  enemies."  The  reverend  gentleman  was  in 
his  pulpit  again. 

«  Don't  corral  me  with  the  goats,  Mr.  Shep- 
herd, even  if  I  can't  love  my  enemies,"  said  Jack, 
ruefully. 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Ruth,  « that  the  trans- 
lators ought  to  have  used  some  word  that  would 
have  made  our  task  easier.  '  Love '  coupled  with 
'  enemy '  seems  so  incongruous,  so  unnatural,  so 
foreign  to  our  conception  of  either  word  when 
not  so  coupled,  that  I  believe  the  translators  did 
not  catch  the  exact  meaning  of  the  injunction, 
and  have,  therefore,  given  'a  hard  proposition,' 
as  Jack  calls  it." 

« I  think  the  word  was  used  with  due  consid- 
eration, Miss  Ruth,  and  in  the  full  comprehension 
of  its  deep  and  sacred  meaning.  It  is  not  indif- 
ference, service,  kindness,  or  even  goodness  we 
must  give,  but  love.  No  word  can  take  the  place 
of  this  word,  for  it  is  comprehensive,  and  it  domi- 
nates the  command,  '  Love  your  enemies.'  This 
is  God's  law,  and  it  cannot  be  ignored  or  followed 
in  a  lukewarm  way.  Perfunctory  service  will 
not  meet  the  requirement ;  it  must  be  true  affec- 
tion, pure  love,  flowing  like  warm  blood  from  a 
well-disposed  heart.  You  will  agree  with  me. 
Miss  Thompson,  I  am  sure  —  " 

"  Yo'  don't  know  what  an  enemy  is  like  oryo' 
wouldn't  be  talkin'  such  trash,"  said  Sis,  her  lip 
jerking  and  her  eyes  on  fire.     This  little  trem- 


LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  191 

bling,  or  twitching,  of  Sis's  upper  lip  was  a  storm 
signal  which  it  was  wise  to  heed,  but  this  the 
shepherd  did  not  know. 

"  I  sincerely  hope  I  have  no  enemies,  but 
every  one  is  liable  to  have  them,  and  we  must 
keep  our  hearts  —  " 

"  I  tell  yo'  yo'-all  don't  know  the  mountins, 
or  yo'  would  never  preach  about  loving  your 
enemies,"  said  Sis,  in  sharp  interruption  of  Mr. 
Whitewood's  peaceful  words. 

"  Indeed,  I  do  not  know  the  mountains,  but 
God's  law  applies  to  the  hills  as  well  as  to  the 
plains,"  was  the  bland  response. 

"  Not  to  our  hills,  they  don't,  and  not  to  the 
wah  between  the  Macs  and  we-uns."  The  lip 
was  twitching  visibly. 

"But,  my  dear  young  lady,  you  must 
remember —  " 

"  I  remember  that  I'm  not  your  dear  young 
lady,  but  jes'  Sis  Thompson ;  that  the  Macs  has 
played  it  low  down  on  we-uns  for  forty  year, 
and  that  we-uns  is  gettin'  the  best  of  'em, 
now,  and  that  we'll  wipe  the  earth  with  'em 
in  less  than  two  year ;  and  that  we-uns  don't 
go  in  for  lovin'  no  enemies,  especially  not  no 
Macs,  and  that  we-uns'U  be  pleased  to  roast 
in  hell  first ! "  and  Sis  disappeared  from  the 
room. 

"  What  intense  feeling  and  what  extravagant 
language ! "  exclaimed  the  enemy-loving  clergy- 
man, with  hands  uplifted. 


192  DOCTOR  TOM 

"It's  too  much  of  a  personal  equation  with 
Sis  to  permit  her  to  discuss  it  academically," 
said  Jack. 

«  She  loves  and  hates  with  equal  fervor,  and 
her  boundary  lines  are  rather  distinctly  marked," 
said  Ruth. 


CHAPTER   XXIX 

THE   PHYSICIAN 

Professional  demands  upon  Doctor  Tom  in- 
creased as  the  months  grew.  The  mountain  folk 
quickly  learned  that  there  are  things  even  better 
than  resignation  for  relieving  pain,  and  that  a 
skilful  and  sympathetic  physician  can  shorten 
disease  or  make  it  more  tolerable.  This  knowl- 
edge spread  like  wild-fire,  and  the  Doctor  was 
sought  in  all  serious  cases.  The  estimate  put 
upon  human  life  was  added  to  by  every  effort 
made  to  save  it,  and  the  amenities  were  increased 
as  comfort  was  restored.  This  conscientious  phy- 
sician found  daily  pleasure  in  his  work.  No 
calls  were  refused,  and  no  exertion  was  too 
great ;  for  he  recognized  the  obligations  which 
his  profession  imposed,  and  he  saw  gratitude 
and  happiness  flow  in  his  wake.  People  were 
no  longer  permitted  to  crawl,  doglike,  into 
corners,  to  die  or  recover,  as  fate  willed ;  they 
were  drawn  into  the  light  and  cared  for  —  in 
crude  ways,  often,  but  always  with  solicitude, 
and  with  a  growing  disbelief  in  that  fatalism 
which  had  been  their  bane. 

No  other  calling  offers  such  opportunities  for 
o  193 


194  DOCTOR  TOM 

usefulness  as  does  the  practice  of  medicine ;  and 
this  is  especially  true  when  the  practice  falls 
among  people  whose  lives  are  narrowed  by  lack 
of  opportunity  or  restricted  by  physical  bounda- 
ries which  are  difficult  to  overcome.  A  wise, 
cultivated,  energetic,  and  sympathetic  physician 
has  an  unlimited  field  of  usefulness,  under  these 
conditions,  and  he  can  daily  sow  seeds  of  all  the 
virtues.  He  is  welcomed,  he  is  respected,  he  is 
trusted,  and  he  is  loved.  His  example  is  followed, 
his  suggestions  are  heeded,  his  orders  are  obeyed. 
It  is  in  his  power,  then,  to  make  every  word, 
action,  and  detail  count  for  good  to  every  family 
with  which  his  vocation  brings  him  in  contact. 
Called  upon  to  minister  to  their  necessities,  he 
becomes  familiar  with  their  weaknesses  and  their 
infirmities,  and  the  way  is  cleared  for  him  to  mend 
them.  He  sets  an  example  of  personal  care  and 
physical  health,  he  suggests  changes  which  add 
to  the  comfort  of  the  household,  and  his  precepts 
make  for  the  general  good.  He  is  insidious, 
rather  than  aggressive,  and  most  of  the  changes 
wrought  are  without  apparent  influence  or  direc- 
tion, though  there  are  times  when  his  methods 
must  be  peremptory  and  forceful. 

Doctor  Tom  was  well  fitted  for  the  work  which 
came  to  his  hand.  His  marvellous  physique  made 
it  not  only  possible,  but  comfortable,  for  him  to 
ride,  night  or  day,  over  the  hills  and  through  the 
x^alleys,  in  answer  to  the  calls  of  the  sick.  Short 
and  irregular  hours  of  rest  were  all  that  he  re- 


THE  PHYSICIAN  196 

quired,  and  these  he  took  only  when  he  could 
not  be  better  employed.  He  knew  no  fatigue 
of  body  or  mind,  and  his  laugh  was  as  gay,  his 
whistle  as  clear,  and  his  mind  as  alert  after 
twenty-four  hours  in  the  saddle  as  though  he 
had  just  risen  from  a  long  rest.  Doctor  Tom's 
laugh  and  whistle  were  medicine  to  the  mountain 
people.  His  whistle  could  be  heard  miles  away 
in  that  clear  air,  and  was  the  harbinger  of  hope 
to  many  a  sufferer ;  while  his  gay  laugh  and 
cheerful  manner  brought  comfort  to  anxious 
hearts.  Small  wonder,  then,  that  the  doctor 
was  a  prime  favorite  with  the  silent  women  and 
solemn  men  of  the  mountains ;  for  he  was  a  use- 
ful and  sympathetic  friend  to  all  who  needed  him. 
The  winter  months  were  busy  ones,  for  they 
furnished  more  than  their  proportion  of  the 
year's  sickness,  and  Doctor  Tom  found  his  hands 
full  even  before  smallpox  made  its  appearance, 
which  it  did  in  February.  Protection  by  vac- 
cination had  been  seriously  neglected  in  Brett 
County,  and  there  was,  in  addition,  marked 
prejudice  against  it.  These  primitive  people 
would  not  suffer  a  present  inconvenience  in  the 
hope  of  future  good,  and  they  could  not,  or  would 
not,  understand  the  advantage  of  this  protective 
measure.  Epidemics  of  the  disease  were  rare, 
on  account  of  isolation,  but  when  they  came 
they  were  looked  upon  as  visitations  of  Provi- 
dence, like  drouth  or  flood,  and  accepted  with 
stolid    resignation.      Visitations   of    Providence 


196  DOCTOR  TOM 

were  not  reverently  entertained  in  Doctor  Tom's 
practical  mind.  Evil  and  suffering  were  things 
to  be  fought  vigorously  and  persistently,  regard- 
less of  tradition  or  sentiment ;  so,  when  he  found 
the  first  case  on  the  East  Ridge,  he  hurried  Cal 
Clay  to  the  siding  to  wire  to  Jack  Raymond: 
"  Send  five  hundred  fresh  vaccine  points  P.  D.  Q. 
and  five  hundred  more  in  four  days,"  while  he 
took  measures  to  quarantine  the  afflicted  family. 
This  was  not  easily  done,  for  it  was  difficult  to 
overcome  the  habits  of  a  lifetime,  especially  when 
those  habits  had  been  inherited ;  and  no  amount 
of  argument  or  persuasion  could  keep  the  fatalistic 
mountaineers  from  wandering  beyond  the  pre- 
scribed limits.  It  was  not  until  Doctor  Tom 
said,  "  I'll  wing  the  first  man  I  find  out  of 
bounds,"  that  his  words  were  heeded.  This 
promise  bore  fruit,  for  the  doctor  had  established 
two  reputations  which  were  current  throughout 
the  borders  of  Brett.  "He  means  jes'  what  he 
says,  and  he  kin  shoot  to  beat  the  man  'at  made 
the  gun." 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  the  sheriff 
was  at  the  siding  to  receive  the  package  from 
the  train,  and  that  evening  the  work  of  protec- 
tion began.  Cal  was  first  victim,  and  then  the 
doctor  bared  his  own  arm  for  his  friend  to  ex- 
periment on ;  for  it  was  his  plan  to  deputize  the 
sheriff  to  do  part  of  the  work,  as  the  whole 
county  must  be  vaccinated. 

Cal  was  sent  to  the  south  valley  and  to  the 


THE  PHYSICIAN  197 

people  who  were  liable  to  give  the  least  trouble, 
while  Tom  strapped  a  blanket  on  to  his  mare  and 
disappeared  in  the  direction  of  the  lower  reaches 
of  the  branch,  to  spend  days  and  nights  among 
the  prejudiced  ones.  The  sheriff  did  his  part  in 
a  commendable  way,  though  he  was  at  times 
obliged  to  resort  to  his  official  position  and  arrest 
some  obstinate  one,  or  to  have  recourse  to  his 
personal  prowess  and  beat  down  objections  with 
his  big  fists. 

Tom  was  absent  for  nearly  a  week,  and  when 
he  returned  he  looked  contented,  though  some- 
what the  worse  for  wear.  Startling  rumors 
followed  him  home,  —  sometimes  true,  sometimes 
exaggerated,  but  always  believed. 

"  I  am  informed,  suh,"  said  the  Major,  "  that 
you  anointed  the  projectiles  in  your  gun  with 
this  cow  virus,  suh,  and  when  the  recalcitrant 
tried  to  escape,  you  pinged  their  arms,  suh,  in  a 
most  effective  manner,"  and  Tom's  denial  had 
little  effect. 

The  disease  was  quickly  stamped  out  by  the 
energetic  work  of  the  young  doctor ;  and  that 
which  had  threatened  to  be  a  widespread  devas- 
tation was  reduced  to  very  moderate  limits, 
greatly  to  the  surprise  and  satisfaction  of  the 
community,  which  now  understood  the  policy  of 
the  active  campaign. 

Another  phase  of  professional  responsibility  and 
guardianship  which  was  strange  to  the  mountains 
was  shown  when  Doctor  Tom  turned  Uncle  Jeff 


198  DOCTOR  TOM 

and  Jake  Thompson  back  from  what  they  believed 
to  be  natural  and  legitimate  revenge  or  reprisal. 
Uncle  Jeff,  Jake,  and  Bud  Thompson  came  to 
Brettville  with  a  load  of  corn  to  trade  for  some 
of  the  few  necessary  things  which  the  half-empty 
shelves  of  the  two  stores  exposed.  The  mules 
stood  patiently  at  the  rails  which  bounded  the 
court-house,  and  Bud  and  Shera  remained  with 
them,  while  the  two  older  men  visited  the  stores 
and  Abe  McCall's  saloon.  Bud  was  half  asleep 
on  the  heaped  bags  and  Shem  was  dozing  under 
the  wheels,  when  Sam  McCandless  and  his  big 
mongrel  came  along.  Sam  had  taken  more 
corn  juice  than  was  good  for  him,  and  was  ready 
for  any  kind  of  a  lark.  He  saw  the  sleeping  boy, 
and  the  temptation  to  do  something  vicious  was 
too  strong  to  be  resisted.  He  seized  the  boy  by 
the  shoulders  and  dragged  him  with  a  crash  to 
the  ground,  while  at  the  same  moment  Shem  bit 
savagely  into  Sam's  thigh.  Dropping  his  hold 
on  the  boy,  he  kicked  at  the  dog,  and  urged  his 
big  mongrel  to  take  an  interest  in  the  fight,  which 
he  was  nothing  loth  to  do.  The  mongrel  was 
larger  and  heavier  than  Shem,  but  bloodhound- 
bull-terrier  spirit  is  fierce  beyond  description,  and, 
while  he  could  not  help  his  master,  Shem  quickly 
showed  his  superiority  over  his  foe.  Bud's  sur- 
prise at  the  onslaught  was  more  than  equalled 
by  his  anger,  and  he  was  no  sooner  freed  from 
McCandless'  grip  than  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and 
attacked   him   fiercely.     But    the   boy   was   no 


THE  PHYSICIAN  199 

match  for  the  seasoned  man,  and,  though  he 
fought  with  high  courage  and  vigor,  he  was  soon 
borne  to  the  ground,  and  he  would  have  been 
seriously  beaten  by  his  half-drunken  and  vicious 
adversary,  had  not  a  new  force  appeared  upon 
the  scene. 

As  they  came  out  of  one  of  the  stores,  Uncle 
Jeff  and  Jake  caught  sight  of  the  double  battle 
that  was  being  waged  around  their  wagon,  and 
with  roars  of  wrath  they  ran  to  the  fray.  McCand- 
less  had  wisdom  enough  to  shun  the  encounter. 
Leaving  his  prostrate  enemy  and  his  now  almost 
lifeless  dog,  he  started  for  McCall's  saloon  with 
all  the  speed  he  could  command ;  but  he  did  not 
reach  the  sheltering  door,  for  his  pursuers  opened 
fire  on  him  and  one  of  their  bullets  crashed 
through  his  right  shoulder,  rendering  the  arm 
useless.  With  a  wit  that  is  occasionally  born 
of  alcohol,  the  wounded  man  rushed  up  the  stairs 
leading  to  Doctor  Tom's  office,  and  presented  his 
wounded  arm  for  repairs.  He  was  none  too 
quick,  for  heavy  feet  and  deep  breathing  gave 
warning  of  serious  purpose.  Tom  thrust  the 
wounded  man  into  the  middle  room,  and  faced 
the  excited  men  in  the  hall. 

« Whar's  that  skunk  of  a  McCandless,"  said 
Uncle  Jeff,  with  Winchester  alert.  "  He's  my 
meat,  and  I'll  have  him  this  time,  shore." 

"  Sam  McCandless  is  in  there.  Uncle  Jeff,"  said 
Tom,  pointing  to  the  middle  room,  "but  he's 
hurt  and  I'm  going  to  mend  him." 


200  DOCTOR  TOM 

«  He  won't  need  no  mendin'  when  I  git  through 
with  him,  Doctor  Tom.  Yo'-all  jes'  git  outer 
the  way.  I've  got  business  with  Sam  McCand- 
less,"  and  the  grizzled  warrior  tried  to  pass  Tom. 

"  But,  Uncle  Jeff,  he's  hurt,  I  tell  you ;  he 
can't  defend  himself,  and  you  won't  take  advan- 
tage of  him." 

"  Won't  I  ?  Jes'  git  outer  the  way  and  see  ! 
He  warn't  hurt  till  I  winged  him,  and  I  ain't 
through  with  him  yet  by  a  damned  sight,"  and 
the  old  man  tried  to  reach  the  door. 

"  You  can't  go  through  that  door.  Uncle  Jeff." 

"  Can't  go  through  that  door,  Tom  Hendricks  ! 
I'd  go  through  hell  to  git  a  McCandless,  and  don't 
you  git  in  my  road,"  and  the  angry  man  attempted 
to  push  Tom  aside.  He  made  no  impression, 
however,  strong  man  though  he  was,  for  Tom's 
wonderful  muscles  anchored  his  frame  like  a 
well-set  post ;  even  the  sheriff  could  not  dislodge 
him  when  so  grounded. 

Jeff  Thompson's  wrath  grew  to  white  heat  at 
this  resistance,  which  seemed  both  unwarranted 
and  unnatural. 

"Yo'  is  kin  to  we-uns,  Tom  Hendricks,  but, 
'fore  God  !  yo'-all  can't  come  'twixt  me  and  Sam 
McCandless  !  I  don't  want  ter  hurt  yo',  Tom, 
but  I'll  kill  yo',  shore,  if  yo'  try  to  keep  me  from 
that  skunk ! " 

«  You  know  you  don't  mean  that.  Uncle  Jeff," 
said  Tom,  in  a  quiet  voice,  "  and  you  know,  too, 
that  you  can't  do  it  if  you  do  mean  it.     I  can 


THE  PHYSICIAN  201 

toss  you  and  your  gun  down  those  stairs  without 
half  trying,  and  you  know  that,  too." 

"  Well,  I'll  be  damned,"  said  Jake,  who  had 
been  a  passive  spectator. 

"  Shore,  yo'  can  do  that,  Tom,  but  yo'  won't, 
and  yo'  must  let  me  git  at  that  McCandless, 
'cause  he's  a  skunk  and  he  a'most  killed  Bud, 
and  yo'  is  kin  to  we-uns." 

"  If  he  had  killed  Bud  and  Aunt  Hat,  too,  and 
if  he  came  to  me  wounded,  asking  my  profes- 
sional aid,  you  or  no  other  man  could  do  him 
harm  until  I  had  done  my  best  to  help  him. 
That's  the  way  I  see  my  duty.  Uncle  Jeff." 

"  Yo'  won't  let  me  pass  yo'.  Doctor  Tom  ? " 

"  No,  Uncle  Jeff,  you  know  very  well  I'll  not." 

The  men  turned  to  go,  and  Jake  said,  "  Well, 
I'll  be  —  "  but  the  rest  was  lost  on  the  stairs. 

« Yo'  can  have  the  rest  of  me,"  said  Sam 
McCandless,  as  Tom  entered  the  middle  room. 


CHAPTER   XXX 

THE    LITTLE     DEPUTY 

«  Dear  Doctor  Tom  :  A  woman's  silence  is 
no  excuse  for  a  man's  neglect,  and  you  need  not 
plead  it ;  for  cruelty  to  dumb  creatures  is,  of  all 
kinds,  the  most  reprehensible.  It  will  be  long, 
very  long,  before  you  are  reinstated  in  my  good 
book  ;  showers  of  letters  will  have  no  effect  now, 
sir,  for  it  is  not  off  the  cards  that  I  would  return 
them  unopened.  I  will  not  commit  myself  defi- 
nitely, but  I  think  you  had  best  not  tempt  me, 
for  my  animosity  and  my  curiosity  would  have 
such  a  fierce  fight  I  To  be  sure,  I  have  been  fed 
from  time  to  time  on  croquettes  made  from  your 
letters  to  Sis  and  Jack,  garnished  with  little 
flecks  of  '  Speak  me  fair  to  Miss  Ruth,'  '  My 
devoirs  to  your  charming  sister,'  and  other  bits 
of  rosemary ;  but  they  were  sawdust  and  rue  in 
food  value  to  me.  I  ask  you  professionally,  is 
this  adequate  nourishment  for  a  hungry  lady  ? 

"  Sis  is  all  that  she  promised  to  be,  and  more. 
She  is  beautiful  now,  and  she  grows  in  grace 
every  day.  She  watches  me  so  carefully  that  I 
must  needs  be  on  good  behavior  each  minute,  for 
she  makes  me  responsible,  by  living  just  a  half- 

202 


THE  LITTLE  DEPUTY  203 

tone  behind  me.  How  would  you  like  to  be 
always  on  parade  ?  Of  course,  it  would  be  easy 
for  you,  as  all  difficult  things  are,  but  your  heart 
should  bleed  for  your  friend  whose  emotions  are 
not  so  securely  harnessed.  This  in  your  ear,  sir, 
—  I  have  discovered  a  second  secret  (I  am  a  very 
sleuth  on  trail),  which  I  will  impart.  Our  little 
mountain  maiden  has  given  her  turbulent  heart 
into  Jack's  keeping,  and  he,  stupid  man !  doesn't 
even  suspect  the  gift.  Do  all  men  —  real,  nice 
men,  I  mean  —  fail  in  such  matters,  and  if  so, 
why  ?  If  you  know,  please  do  not  tell,  for  I 
would  not  change  them  for  worlds.  In  some 
unaccountable  way,  Jack's  yellow-haired  dignity 
has  stamped  the  new  heart  of  my  sweet  friend 
with  an  impress  that  will  never  wear  away. 
How  do  I  know  ?  Because  I  am  very  wise  in 
these  matters,  sir ;  so  wise  that  you  would  not 
comprehend  the  half  of  my  wisdom  if  it.  were 
told.  I  am  pleased  with  my  secret,  for  I  can 
think  of  nothing  better  for  Jack,  and  I  know  he 
will  be  all  kinds  of  nice  things  to  her  as  soon  as 
he  wakes  up.  In  another  year  Sis  will  be  able 
to  arouse  a  bronze  man  from  his  slumbers  ;  and 
as  Jack  is  not  so  bad  as  that,  I  have  no  fears  for 
their  future. 

«  What  a  diamond  you  have  picked  out  of  the 
mountains !  She  glories  in  the  emery  wheel 
(though  it  grinds  fine)  ;  she  '  cuts  '  to  wonderful 
advantage,  and  each  new  facet  shows  better  than 
any  other.     She  will  be  of  rare  price  when  she  is 


204  DOCTOR  TOM 

ready  for  the  setting.  Her  mind  is  quick,  strong, 
and  just,  but  that  we  knew ;  it  is  also  delicate 
and  fine,  which  we  did  not  know  until  the  crust 
was  removed.  I  can  imagine  nothing  better 
than  your  cousin  is  likely  to  prove  in  both  body 
and  mind,  for  she  is  rounding  gracefully  in  each. 
The  mirror  and  I  are  trying  to  make  her  con- 
scious of  some  of  her  advantages,  but  we  have 
not  been  entirely  successful  (for  Sis  will  stand  a 
lot  of  spoiling),  though  we  both  pay  signal  tribute 
to  them.  I  suppose  I  may  as  well  admit  some 
small  jealousy  of  her  few  years  and  many  graces; 
for  when  I  look  carefully  in  my  glass,  as  I  often 
do,  I  see  convenient  places  for  lines  and  crows'- 
feet  which  greatly  terrify  me ;  or  at  least  they 
would,  if  my  mind  were  not  so  filled  with  joy 
that  there  is  no  room  for  fear.  To  be  sure,  I 
have  no  rational  cause  for  this  great  happiness 
(but  that  is  not  essential  to  women,  at  least  not 
to  this  woman) ;  but  my  days  are  dreams  of 
delight,  and  my  nights  refreshing  trances  from 
which  I  wake  to  dream  again.  I  shall  not 
attempt  an  explanation  of  this  phenomenon, 
though  I  have  one,  for  I  could  not,  at  this  dis- 
tance, make  it  clear  to  you.  If  you  are  very 
good,  and  very  diligent  in  your  labors,  I  may 
sometime  give  you  a  small  hint  as  to  its  nature, 
if  you  care  to  hear.  In  the  meantime,  I  shall 
continue  in  my  unreasonable  happiness. 

"  Jack  says  that  you  have  made  the  way  smooth 
for  him  in  the  mountains ;    irreverently   he  re- 


THE  LITTLE  DEPUTY  206 

marks  that  'his  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness 
and  all  his  paths  are  peace,'  since  your  mission 
work  has  become  effective.  I  have  no  doubt, 
Doctor  Tom,  that  you  still  refuse  to  believe  you 
are  responsible  for  this  reformation,  though  you 
are  alone  in  this  belief,  and  I  would  not  wean 
you  from  it  for  the  world,  —  it  is  so  individual. 
You  may  think  what  you  like,  but  you  must 
grant  others  the  same  privilege.  The  road  is 
secured,  at  all  events,  and  Jack  says  he  will  run 
the  first  passenger  train  into  Brettville  on  the 
seventeenth  day  of  September.  Do  you  realize 
what  that  means,  sir  ?  It  means  that  on  the  rear 
of  that  train  will  be  No.  99  filled  with  Ruth 
Raymond,  who  is  going  to  the  mountains  to  see  her 
dear  friends,  —  the  gallant  Major,  the  handsome 
sheriff,  the  faithful  Ham,  and  the  modest  coro- 
ner. Jack  and  Sis  will  be  on  the  car,  but  that  is 
detail,  —  the  principal  fact  was  stated  before. 
<  Speak  me  fair  '  (aren't  you  ashamed  to  put  such 
a  phrase  into  my  mouth  ?)  to  all  my  friends,  and 

expect 

«  Ruth  Raymond." 

"P.S.  Twenty-three  months  from  to-day,  I 
shall  be  twenty-eight  years  old,  and  at  that  time, 
if  I  have  no  permanent  situation,  I  shall  withdraw 
my  name  from  the  waiting  list  and  devote  the 
balance  of  my  life  to  settlement  work  and  tatting. 
One  must  be  versatile  if  one  would  be  happy. 


206  DOCTOR  TOM 

Tom  read  this  letter  for  the  sixth  time  when 
the  sheriff  had  been  four  hours  asleep.  With 
each  reading  some  feeling  of  comfort  crept  into 
his  mind,  until  he  actually  grasped  the  hope  that 
Ruth  loved  him.  He  no  sooner  made  captive  of 
this  wonderful  thought  than  he  cast  about  for 
signs  of  confirmation.  He  could  remember  every 
word  and  look  she  had  given  him  and  each 
sentence  of  her  infrequent  letters,  and  these  he 
searched  diligently  for  signs  which  would  increase 
the  delightful  sense  that  was  new  prisoner  in  his 
heart.  Through  the  fresh  lens  that  he  was  using, 
he  could  see  words,  looks,  and  sentences  which 
he  timidly  added  to  the  credit  side  of  his  desire, 
until  the  evidence  took  form,  and  hope  was 
born.  Then  he  whistled  from  sheer  delight, 
u  itil  Cal  groaned  in  his  sleep ;  which  was 
bad  for  Cal,  since  it  suggested  to  Tom  that 
it  would  be  fine  to  have  some  one  with  whom  to 
talk  of  this  new-born  hope.  He  sprang  upon 
the  sleeping  sheriff  and  dragged  him  from  his 
bed,  shouting,  "Wake  up,  Cal,  and  come  for  a 
walk." 

«I  was  jes'  a-goin'  ter  dream  of  takin'  a 
walk,"  said  the  sleepy  man. 

«  Dreams  are  abroad  to-night,  Cal,  but  we  must 
seek  them  under  the  stars." 

"What's  the  matter  with  the  bed,"  said  the 
sheriff,  with  a  yawn. 

"Everything's  the  matter  with  it,  Cal;  there's 
no  place  in  tlje  universe  for  the  bed  to-night.     If 


THE  LITTLE   DEPUTY  207 

you'll  come  out  and  walk  with  me  two  hours,  I'll 
wrestle  you  three  falls." 

«  Will  yo',  Tom,  will  yo'  shore  do  it  ?  I'm  with 
yo',"  and  there  were  no  more  yawns.  They  were 
hardly  out  of  the  house  before  Tom  said:  — 

"  I  want  to  talk  with  you,  Cal,  about  some  one 
whom  I  love  very  much." 

«  The  '  little  deputy,'  Tom  ?  " 

«  Yes,  —  Miss  Ruth." 

"  I  knowed  it,  —  I  knowed  it  more'n  a  year." 

"  What  do  you  know,  Cal  ?  " 

"  I  knowed  she  was  jes'  ready  to  eat  yo'  up 
any  time  fer  a  year." 

Tom's  heart  jumped  with  pleasure  at  this  out- 
spoken evidence  from  his  friend ;  but  he  dared 
not  accept  it  for  more  than  proof  of  Cal's  love 
and  his  desire  to  make  him  happy. 

"  No,  Cal ;  you  mustn't  say  that.  I  love  her 
dearly,  I'm  trying  to  get  ready  for  her,  and  I'm 
going  to  win  her,  I  hope ;  but  I've  no  reason  for 
believing  that  she  loves  me  now." 

"  Shucks !  Tom  Hendricks.  Yo'  don't  know 
nuthin'  'bout  weemen.  You  orter  allers  come  to 
me.  I  tell  yo',  she's  been  eatin'  of  yo'  up  with 
her  eyes  for  a  year.  She  can't  fool  Cal  Clay ! 
'  Is  he  robust,  Mr.  Sheriff  ? '  '  Is  he  happy,  Mr. 
Cal  ? '  '  It's  a  great  thing  to  be  a  sheriff,'  and 
sich-all.  The  little  cuss !  Did  she  think  a  dep- 
uty is  smarter'n  a  sheriff  ?  I  tell  yo',  Tom,  yer's 
had  a  pocket-hank  on  yer  eyes  and  she's  been 
throwin'  kisses  at  yo'  for  a  year." 


208  DOCTOR  TOM 

« I'd  like  to  believe  the  half  of  that,  Cal,  but  I 
can't." 

"  Well,  I  can,  —  and  a  heap  more !  She's 
hooked  yo'  safe,  and  she  knows  it ;  but  she's 
too  game  to  thumb  the  reel.  She's  dead  game, 
Tom,  jes'  like  the  Majah !  Yo'  can  have  all  the 
line  yo'  damn  please,  for  yer's  got  ter  come  to 
the  boat  sometime  ;  but  shucks  !  she  won't  hurry 
yo'." 

"  If  that  was  true,  Cal,  I'd  be  the  happiest  man 
alive." 

"  Git  happy,  then,  Tom,  git  happy !  fer  she 
goes  'round  yo'  like  a  cooper  'round  a  bar'l, — 
jes'  givin'  little  love  taps,  ter  see  that  your  bands 
are  right,  and  a-sayin'  to  herself,  '  He's  sound,  — 
he'll  hold  me  tight  some  day.'  The  little  deputy's 
dead  game,  Tom,  and  she'll  'rest  yo',  shore ! " 

«  Cal,  I'll  wrestle  you  till  daylight." 


CHAPTER   XXXI 

THE    BIG    FIGHT 

Sam  Reakdon  was  found  dead  in  his  cabin  on 
the  afternoon  of  July  6.  He  was  first  seen  by 
Tom  Reardon,  his  brother,  who,  with  his  wife, 
had  crossed  the  ridge  in  search  of  a  cow  that 
had  failed  to  report  for  two  days.  The  cabin 
looked  deserted,  and  Tom  Reardon  pushed  open 
the  unlocked  door  and  entered  the  one  room  that 
was  the  abode  of  his  bachelor  brother.  On  the 
low  bunk  near  the  wall  lay  the  long  form  of  Sam 
Reardon,  as  if  in  sleep.  Stepping  forward,  Tom 
spoke,  but  a  second  glance  revealed  the  fact  that 
it  was  not  sleep  which  held  the  stalwart  moun- 
taineer on  his  couch,  but  grim  death,  which  must 
have  come  while  he  slept ;  for  there  was  no  con- 
tortion of  face  or  limb.  A  clot  of  blood  on  the 
bag  of  cotton  that  served  for  a  pillow,  and  a 
round  hole  in  the  top  of  his  head,  gave  convinc- 
ing evidence  that  murder  had  been  done,  and  the 
small  open  window  near  the  head  of  the  bunk 
showed  the  probable  method.  Grimly  silent, 
the  man  gazed  at  the  form  of  his  dead  brother, 
while  he  noted  the  evidences  of  time  and  means. 

Nothing  in  the  cabin  had  been  disturbed,  —  a 

T  209 


210  DOCTOR  TOM 

struggle  would  have  left  its  record  on  floor  or  on 
scant  furniture,  —  and  the  face  of  the  dead  man 
was  placid.  Death  must  have  come  instantane- 
ously, and  it  must  have  come  in  the  night  or  early 
in  the  morning,  for  the  blood  clot  was  blackened 
and  the  body  was  cold  and  rigid.  Mrs.  Tom 
bemoaned  the  fate  of  her  husband's  brother,  who 
was  a  general  favorite. 

"  He  was  such  a  purty  man,  Tom  !  Who-all 
could  'a'  done  it?  And  so  gettin'  on  in  the 
world !  And  Kit  Clay  sot  so  much  store  along 
o'  him  !     And  is  he  shore  dead,  Tom  ?  " 

"  He's  shore  dead,  Polly,  and  I  reckon  Jim  Joy's 
got  ter  answer  fer  it,"  said  Tom  Reardon,  with 
grim  brevity. 

"  Jim  Joy,  shore  !  "  said  Polly.  "  They  fit  las' 
month,  and  Sam  gouged  his  eye  a'most  out  and 
made  him  holler.  He  done  it,  shore,  the  skunk  ! " 
and  Polly  wrung  her  hands  afresh. 

"  Yo'  go  down  the  valley  and  tell  dad  and 
they-all,  and  PU  go  fer  the  sheriff  and  the 
coroner,"  said  Reardon.  «  We'll  have  the  heart 
outer  Jim  Joy." 

The  dead  man  had  been  a  favorite  among  the 
valley  people.  He  was  the  youngest  of  the 
Reardon  men,  —  handsome,  good-natured,  genial, 
and  much  more  of  a  talker  than  most  of  his 
neighbors.  This  last  accomplishment  gave  him 
merit  in  the  eyes  of  the  valley  beauty,  Kit  Clay ; 
or  at  least  it  was  the  general  impression  that  he 
outranked  all  his  rivals  in  the  good  graces  of  this 


THE  BIG  FIGHT  211 

lady.  What  Miss  Clay's  opinion  was,  no  one 
knew,  for  she  was  a  coquette  on  a  large  scale, 
physically  and  emotionally,  and  she  was  pleased 
to  see  most  of  the  valley  bachelors  dangling  from 
her  lines. 

Miss  Kit  was  a  good  girl,  in  all  mountain 
goodness,  but  she  was  a  beauty,  and  she  knew  it ; 
she  knew,  too,  the  power  that  beauty  gave,  and 
she  was  not  willing  to  moult  one  feather  of  that 
advantage.  She  was  the  cause  of  many  jealous- 
ies and  heartburnings,  and,  indirectly,  not  a  few 
fierce  battles  among  her  admirers.  The  big 
sheriff,  her  brother,  took  these  things  more  seri- 
ously than  she  did,  but  his  advice  and  admoni- 
tions were  little  heeded.  Even  when  he  publicly 
threatened  to  "  lick  anybody  that  fights  about 
Kit,"  and  privately  informed  her  that  he  would 
"  give  her  some,  too,"  the  threats  had  no  effect ; 
for  Kit  did  not  believe  him,  and  the  men  said, 
"  Big  Cal  licks  we-uns  when  he  wants  ter,  anyhow, 
so  what's  the  differ  ?  " 

The  two  men  who  were  most  in  favor  with 
Miss  Kit  were  Sam  Reardon  and  Jim  Joy ;  the 
others,  becoming  gradually  discouraged,  dropped 
out  of  the  race,  or,  at  best,  made  but  furtive  and 
spasmodic  attempts  at  reinstatement.  Sam  and 
Jim  held  on  with  equal  tenacity,  and,  so  far  as 
outsiders  could  judge,  with  equal  success.  The 
princess  smiled  on  both  alike,  and  well  she  might, 
for  both  were  the  best  of  their  kind  in  the 
valley. 


212  DOCTOR  TOM 

Sam  Reardon  was  the  more  popular  on  account 
of  his  good-fellowship,  but  Jim  Joy  was  liked  by- 
all  for  his  quiet  kindliness  and  his  reliability  in 
all  times  of  stress  and  trouble.  They  were 
equally  good-looking,  courageous,  and  masterful, 
and  each  was  making  a  home  for  himself,  and, 
he  devoutly  hoped,  for  Kit.  Jim  had  the  best 
cabin  and  patch,  but  this  advantage  was  matched, 
in  the  estimation  of  the  onlookers,  by  Sam's 
versatility.  They  had  been  pals  in  boyhood, 
friends  in  manhood ;  they  were  of  distant  kin- 
ship ;  they  were  neighbors  and  allies ;  and  they 
hated  the  same  people.  On  all  matters  of  impor- 
tance they  were  in  frank  sympathy  until  rivalry 
for  the  love  of  Kit  Clay  drove  them  far  apart. 
The  friendship  of  twenty-eight  years  did  not 
break  in  a  day.  The  coolness  that  came  with 
early  rivalry  increased  as  the  ardor  for  the  desired 
one  grew,  and  it  was  fed  by  the  mischief-making 
spirit  of  some  of  the  disappointed  ones.  Stories 
were  bandied  back  and  forth — true,  exaggerated, 
or  false,  it  mattered  not,  for  they  were  sent  with 
malicious  intent  and  they  brought  evil  result. 
Coolness  grew  into  dislike,  and  this  into  open 
enmity,  which  was  fed  and  fanned  by  every  word 
or  rumor  which  careless  or  mischievous  people 
put  into  circulation.  The  quondam  friends  had 
not  spoken  to  each  other  for  months ;  but,  if 
current  rumor  was  true,  each  had  sworn  early 
and  dire  vengeance  against  the  other  in  the  event 
of  contingencies  that  were  almost  certain  to  arise. 


THE  BIG  FIGHT  213 

These  rumors  were  quickly  inflated  and  quickly 
carried  from  one  to  the  other,  until  it  was  generally 
believed  that  "  when  them  fellers  meets,  there'll 
be  fur  a-flyin'."  Of  course,  in  such  a  narrow  com- 
munity, the  meeting  could  not  be  long  deferred. 

Early  in  June,  word  was  sent  throughout  the 
valley  that  there  would  be  "  house  raisin'  "  at  old 
man  Clay's  on  the  next  Saturday  ;  which  meant 
that  every  able-bodied  man  would  be  on  hand  to 
help  skid  up  the  logs  and  fit  them  into  place  for 
the  new  house. 

At  the  appointed  time,  all  the  men  and  many 
of  the  women  of  the  south  valley  met  at  the  site 
of  the  new  house,  and  began  rapidly  and  skil- 
fully to  change  a  log  heap  into  a  log  house.  It 
was  expected  that  big  Cal,  the  son  of  the  house, 
would  be  there,  and  had  he  been  on  deck,  one  of 
the  incidents  of  the  day  would  have  been  modi- 
fied, to  say  the  least.  He  was  not  on  hand,  how- 
ever, for  he  had  been  hastily  summoned  to  the 
siding  to  quell  a  riot  which  had  broken  out  among 
the  laborers  on  the  new  railroad,  and  which  re- 
quired the  full  force  of  the  sheriff's  official  posi- 
tion, as  well  as  much  expenditure  of  the  sheriff's 
physical  strength,  before  it  was  subdued.  But 
had  the  sheriff  been  present,  the  crowning  inci- 
dent of  the  day  would  have  been  merely  post- 
poned, for  the  valley  was  too  small  to  hold  two 
such  rivals  as  Sam  Reardon  and  Jim  Joy,  without 
giving  them  opportunity  for  the  fierce  personal 
combat  that  they  desired. 


214  DOCTOR  TOM 

Each  of  the  men  was  noted  for  his  skill  in 
"  carryin'  up  a  corner  "  (counter-sinking  with  an 
axe  the  ends  of  logs  after  they  had  been  skidded 
into  place),  and  they  were  chosen  to  carry  up  the 
front  corners  of  the  house.  This  arrangement 
gave  each  an  end  of  the  front  logs  to  shape  at 
the  same  moment,  which  naturally  stimulated 
them  to  exhibit  their  skill  in  their  difficult  and 
honorable  positions.  The  known  hatred  of  the 
corner-men  was  food  for  the  skid-men  and  the 
rollers,  and  they  made  much  of  it  in  commenda- 
tion of  the  one  or  in  jeers  at  the  other,  in  pretty 
even  measure.  Whiskey  was  abundant  and 
abundantly  consumed.  The  work  went  rapidly 
on,  and  by  noon  the  square  walls  had  reached 
their  full  height,  yet  neither  of  the  corner-men 
had  gained  a  decided  advantage  over  his  rival. 

The  out-of-door  dinner  that  followed  was 
lavishly  abundant,  and  it  was  eaten  with  relish 
by  the  hungry  workers  and  washed  into  place 
with  black  coffee  and  whiskey  in  about  equal 
proportions.  Afterward  it  was  noted  that  neither 
Sam  nor  Jim  took  more  than  a  mouthful  of  food, 
a  little  whiskey,  and  not  much  more  coffee.  They 
kept  aloof  from  the  crowd,  had  little  to  say,  and 
stretched  themselves  on  the  ground,  as  if  to  re- 
cruit the  loss  of  energy  which  the  morning  had 
caused.  Their  actions  were  not  noted  at  the  time, 
but  they  were  remembered  when,  in  after  years, 
the  «  big  fight,"  as  it  was  always  called,  was  dis- 
cussed.     The  details  of   the   big  fight  became 


THE  BIG  FIGHT  215 

tradition  to  these  people,  who  were  familiar 
with  fierce  fights,  and  who  only  emphasized  this 
one  on  account  of  its  peculiar  ferocity  and  the 
equal  strength  and  endurance  of  the  combatants. 

The  men  had  hardly  risen  from  the  rude  tables 
before  the  rivals,  moved  as  by  one  impulse,  sprang 
to  their  feet  and  walked  straight  toward  each 
other.  At  two  yards'  distance  they  stopped,  and 
Sam  said,  "  Are  yo'  a-wantin'  it  to-day,  Jim  ?  " 

"  I'm  a-wantin'  it,  Sam." 

"  Make  a  ring,"  said  Sam,  and  the  ring  was 
quickly  made.  There  is  but  one  rule  in  mountain 
fighting :  "  When  a  man  says  '  'nuff,'  the  fight's 
done,  but  no  man  can't  touch  um  first."  There 
are  no  exceptions  to  this  rule,  and  the  person 
who  should  make  them  would  take  his  life  in 
his  hands.  There  are  no  "  fouls,"  and  nothing 
is  "barred."  There  are  no  referees,  no  time- 
keepers, no  bottle-holders,  and  no  seconds ;  for 
there  is  time  for  no  bottles  and  there  is  nothing 
to  refer.  Every  natural  means  of  offence  and 
every  power  to  injure  which  strength  and  skill 
can  devise  are  at  the  service  of  each  combatant, 
and  he  would  be  counted  an  idiot  who  failed  to 
make  the  greatest  possible  use  of  them.  Head, 
hands,  feet,  knees,  nails,  and  teeth  are  legitimate 
weapons  in  this  warfare,  and  they  are  used,  with- 
out rest  or  interruption,  until  one  of  the  struggling 
brutes  says  "  'nuff,"  and  that,  and  nothing  but 
that,  ends  the  •  conflict.  There  is  little  or  no 
attempt  at  defence.     All  is  offence  and  aggres- 


216  DOCTOR  TOM 

sion,  and  the  man  who  can  carry  the  battle 
farthest  into  the  camp  of  the  enemy  and  do  the 
greatest  personal  injury  is  the  victor. 

These  fights  can  be  carried  to  the  limit  of 
endurance  and  result  in  the  most  dreadful  punish- 
ment and  mutilation  without  giving  rise  to  blood 
feuds  or  homicidal  reprisal ;  they  are  fought  to  a 
finish,  and  the  incident,  save  as  a  matter  of  his- 
torical interest,  is  closed. 

Not  since  Brett  was  a  county  had  two  men  met 
in  a  ring  who  were  more  equally  matched  or  in 
more  deadly  earnest.  They  stripped  to  the  waist, 
and  stood,  like  savage  machines  cast  in  the  same 
mould,  ready  to  work  havoc  on  each  other  to  the 
utmost  limit. 

"  Are  yo'  ready,  Jim  ?  " 

"  I'm  ready,  Sam,"  and  they  came  together  like 
a  head-on  collision. 

Those  who  saw  the  fight  speak  of  it  with  bated 
breath,  and  yet  they  are  a  hardy  race,  familiar 
with  suifering  and  stolid  endurance. 

For  nearly  thirty  minutes  these  rabid  men 
were  closely  knit  in  utmost  effort  to  maim  and 
injure  each  other.  There  were  no  periods  of  rest 
(either  at  regular  intervals,  as  under  Queensberr}^, 
or  at  irregular  ones,  as  under  London,  rules) ;  it 
was  continuous,  strenuous  bending  to  the  task  like 
oarsmen  in  a  race,  each  knowing,  like  the  rowers, 
that  letting  up,  even  for  a  second,  would  lose  the 
contest.  During  no  fraction  of  those  thirty  long 
minutes  were  they  out  of  contact  or  free  from 


THE  BIG  FIGHT  217 

instant  suffering,  though  the  fierce  ire  of  fighting 
men  destroys  sensation  and  kills  pain  like  an 
anaesthetic,  and  fighters  are  conscious  of  nothing 
but  their  eagerness  to  do  each  other  harm. 
Writhing  in  strong,  equal  grip,  they  struck, 
strangled,  tore,  and  bit  with  the  ferocity  of  bull 
terriers,  and  with  the  silence  and  evident  pleasure 
characteristic  of  those  game  animals.  An  in- 
voluntary grunt  or  a  quick  rush  of  breath,  as 
when  a  woodman  buries  his  axe  in  new  wood, 
was  the  only  vocal  sound.  They  fell  on  the 
ground  struggling  in  bitter  contortions,  and, 
struggling,  arose  again,  still  knit  together.  At 
times  the  advantage  was  all  with  Sam,  until  his 
enemy  seemed  on  the  verge  of  ruin  ;  but  some 
quick  turn  or  tremendous  effort  would  change 
the  battle  before  ruin  came,  and  Jim  would 
dominate  the  fight  until  his  enemy  had  sustained 
equal  or  greater  loss.  They  w^ere  red  with  blood 
from  torn  or  bitten  flesh,  their  eyes  protruded 
and  their  lips  were  pui'ple  from  gripped  wind- 
pipes, their  chests  heaved  and  gasped  for  breath, 
and  they  were  no  longer  able  to  bite  each  other, 
for  they  must  needs  keep  their  mouths  open  in 
search  of  air.  They  fell  repeatedly,  and,  for  brief 
moments,  lay  side  by  side,  or  overlapping,  but 
always  woven  in  some  cruel  way ;  and  when  a 
few  breaths  of  air  had  given  new  life,  they  spent 
it  with  reckless  prodigality  in  further  strife. 

Women  wept  silently  on  the  outside  of    the 
ring,  and  the  men  lost  interest  in  the  bitter  fight, 


218  DOCTOK  TOM 

which  had  now  gone  beyond  the  limits  of  enter- 
tainment. No  attempt  to  stop  it  would  have 
been  permitted,  for  that  would  have  traversed 
fight  ethics  beyond  all  forgiveness ;  but  every  one 
wished  that  one  of  the  men  would  say  "  'nuff." 
It  was  immaterial  which  one  said  it,  for  they 
were  equally  beaten ;  but  some  one  ought  to  say 
it,  and  say  it  soon. 

At  the  end  of  thirty  minutes  the  fighters  were 
lying  side  by  side,  spent  beyond  aggressive  effort. 
Sam's  right  hand  was  useless,  but  his  left  lay 
across  the  throat  of  his  antagonist,  which  it 
vainly  tried  to  grasp.  Jim  was  utterly  exhausted 
and  beaten  out.  He  gasped  wildly  for  breath, 
hoping  to  replenish  his  strength,  that  he  might 
push  away  the  hand  that  threatened  to  shut  oiT 
the  life-giving  air,  before  that  hand  could  do  its 
cruel  work.  His  arms  were  stretched  at  his  side 
in  utter  wreck  and  prostration ;  his  offence  was 
all  in,  and  he  had  no  line  of  defence.  Energy 
came  to  Sam  first,  but  in  small  degree.  He  lifted 
himself,  with  struggling  effort,  on  to  his  right  el- 
bow ;  but  he  could  not  sustain  himself  there,  and 
he  pitched  forward  with  his  breast  across  the 
breast,  of  Jim.  Again  the  search  for  air  was  re- 
newed ;  but  this  time  with  everything  in  favor 
of  Sam,  for  Jim's  poor  chest  had,  in  each  quest, 
to  lift  the  load  that  lay  across  it. 

Three  minutes  later,  Sam  slowly  drew  his  right 
elbow  under  him,  and  this  time  he  could  support 
himself.      Groping    cautiously,  he    pushed    the 


THE   BIG  FIGHT  219 

fingers  of  his  left  hand  upward  and  backward 
until  their  four  armed  points  were  firmly  fixed 
behind  the  cartilage  of  Jim's  right  ear ;  then  with 
steady  precision,  he  put  the  point  of  his  thumb 
into  the  inner  angle  of  Jim's  right  eye.  The  move- 
ments had  been  made  slowly  and  deliberately,  for 
there  was  scant  strength,  but  they  had  also  been 
made  with  exactness  and  with  definite  knowl- 
edge of  all  the  possibilities  for  destructive  muti- 
lation which  the  position  gave. 

"  Say  '  'nuff,'  Jim,  —  fer  I've  got  yo'  eye." 

« 'Nuff,  Sam." 

"I'm  damned  glad,"  said  the  victor,  as  he  fell 
beside  the  vanquished. 

Kind  and  willing  hands  lifted  the  exhausted 
men,  placed  them  on  soft,  clean  grass,  and  did 
all  that  was  possible  to  revive  and  comfort  them. 
Their  wounds  were  generously  bathed  with  water 
and  then  with  fiery  whiskey  —  a  measure  heroic 
but  useful ;  while  whiskey  and  coffee  in  moderate 
quantities  were  poured  down  their  throats.  After 
an  hour  of  rest  and  care,  they  were  able  to  walk, 
though  not  quite  steadily,  and  each  was  accom- 
panied to  his  cabin  by  several  of  his  friends.  As 
the  groups  separated,  Jim  Joy  said :  — 

"  Sam,  I  said  '  'nuff,'  but  that  ain't  all." 

"  All  right,  Jim,"  came  in  reply. 

Neither  Jim's  voice  nor  his  words  were,  at  the 
time,  considered  a  menace,  but  they  counted 
heavily  against  him  later.  For  two  weeks  the 
men   kept   close   to   their   cabins,  nursed   their 


220  DOCTOR  TOM 

wounds,  and  trusted  much  to  nature,  with  a 
confidence  which  was  not  misplaced.  At  the  end 
of  that  time  Sam  fell  into  his  accustomed  ways, 
with  unchanged  spirit,  and  with  only  some  griev- 
ous scars  to  remind  him  of  the  battle. 

The  effect  on  Jim  was  different.  Always  retir- 
ing and  quiet,  he  now  became  a  recluse,  who  left 
his  cabin  only  from  necessity,  or  to  wander  alone 
on  the  mountains.  He  always  carried  a  rifle  — 
but  to  go  armed  on  the  mountain  sides  was  the 
universal  habit  —  and  he  was  several  times  seen 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Sam  Reardon's  cabin. 

Four  weeks  after  this  fight  Sam  was  found 
dead  from  a  rifle  shot,  and  the  majority  of  the 
valley  people  turned  to  Jim  Joy  for  an  explana- 
tion. 


CHAPTER   XXXII 

THE    INQUEST 

The  sheriff  and  the  coroner  arrived  at  the 
Reardon  cabin  in  the  early  evening.  A  large 
group  had  gathered,  to  lament  the  death  of  the 
popular  man,  or  to  await  the  coming  of  the 
officers  of  the  law.  The  coroner  selected  six 
men,  including  the  sheriff,  the  father,  and  one  of 
the  brothers  of  the  dead  man,  to  enter  the  cabin 
with  him  and  witness  the  autopsy. 

The  body  was  carefully  examined  for  evidence 
of  other  injury  than  that  which  was  apparent. 
When  none  was  found,  the  bullet  wound  was 
investigated.  From  the  position  of  the  body 
with  relation  to  the  walls  of  the  house,  it  was 
evident  that  the  shot  must  have  been  fired  through 
the  small  open  window  near  the  head  of  the 
bunk  on  which  the  dead  man  lay.  Confirmatory 
evidence  was  furnished  by  a  small,  fresh  powder- 
stain  on  the  window  ledge.  The  bullet  had 
entered  the  vertex,  had  ranged  downward  through 
the  very  seat  of  life,  and  had  passed  into  the 
neck ;  and  it  could  be  detected  in  the  muscles 
where  neck  and  bodj^  join.  After  calling  atten- 
tion to  its  position,  the  coroner,  by  a  few  strokes 

221 


222  DOCTOR  TOM 

of  his  scalpel,  liberated  the  bullet,  and  gave  it  to 
the  sheriff  for  safe  keeping.  It  was  evident  to 
all  that  Sam  Reardon  came  to  his  death  from  a 
gun-shot  wound  while  he  slept,  that  the  shot 
had  been  fired  through  an  open  window,  and  by 
a  person  unknown.  This  was  the  declaration  of 
the  coroner,  and  it  was  accepted  without  dissent, 
save  as  to  the  last  clause.  Most  of  the  people 
present  believed  that  they  could  name  the  guilty 
man,  and  they  were  not  slow  in  giving  tongue  to 
their  opinion.  Jim  Joy  was  the  only  man  who 
was  known  to  have  a  personal  grudge  against 
Sam  Reardon,  and  he  was  held  responsible  for 
his  death.  He  had  said,  "  Tliat's  not  all,  Sam," 
when  they  parted  after  the  big  fight ;  he  had 
been  morose  and  had  kept  aloof  from  his  neigh- 
bors, as  if  meditating  revenge ;  and  he  had  re- 
peatedly been  seen,  armed,  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
dead  man's  cabin.  Circumstantial  evidence  was 
strong  against  him,  and  the  coroner  ordered  the 
sheriff  to  take  him  into  custody,  to  await  the 
verdict  of  the  inquest  jury  which  would  be  called 
two  days  later.  Voluntary  assistance  for  the 
sheriff  was  abundant,  but  he  declined  it  with 
thanks. 

"  I  don't  want  no  galoot  to  help  me  'rest  Jim 
Joy ;  and  what's  more,  I  won't  have  none.  I'll 
be  'sponsible  for  him  without  no  help,"  said  Big 
Cal,  and  the  valley  folk  heeded  his  words. 

When  they  were  ready  to  go  home,  the  sheriff 
§aid,  «  Tom,  le's  go  'round  and  pick  up  Jim." 


THE  INQUEST  223 

As  they  approached  Jim  Joy's  cabin,  a  man 
with  a  Winchester-  in  his  hand  stepped  from 
behind  a  clump  of  bushes,  and  said,  "  Is  that  yo', 
Cal  ?  " 

"Yes,  Jim." 

«  Yo'  want  me,  Cal  ?  " 

«  Yes,  Jim." 

«  Want  me  now,  Cal  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Jim." 

"  What'U  I  do  with  the  gun  ?  " 

"  Keep  it,  Jim,"  and  the  three  men  took  the 
road  for  Brettville. 

« It's  nateral,  but  'tain't  true,  Cal." 

«  Yes,  Jim." 

«  Sam  gave  me  a  square  deal  in  that  fight,  and 
I  was  'lowin'  to  make  up  along  o'  him." 

"  Yes,  Jim." 

"Me  and  Sam  was  pals,  Cal,  and  I  shore 
couldn't  'a'  done  it." 

"  No,  Jim,  not  by  a  damned  sight !  But  I'd 
orter  not  said  that,  Jim,  me  bein'  the  sheriff." 

Jim  Joy  did  not  occupy  the  part  of  the  court- 
house reserved  for  the  "criminal  classes,"  but 
was  on  parole  in  the  sheriff's  bedroom,  where  he 
awaited  his  trial.  The  evidence  against  him 
accumulated.  It  was  reported  in  McCall's 
saloon  that  three  men,  who  were  hunting  hogs 
on  the  mountains  back  of  the  Reardon  cabin, 
saw  Joy  at  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the 
tragedy,  gun  in  hand,  slipping  stealthily  through 
the  woods.     Tracing  up  this  rumor,  the  sheriff 


224  DOCTOR  TOM 

found  that  Tom  McCord,  Jake  McBride,  and  Jim 
McCandless  were  the  men  who  had  been  hog- 
hunting,  and  who  were  reported  to  have  seen 
Jim  Joy  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  cabin. 

On  the  order  of  the  coroner,  the  sheriff  sub- 
poenaed each  of  these  men  to  appear  before  the 
court  on  the  following  day,  to  give  his  testimony. 

On  the  third  day  after  the  murder,  the  inquest 
was  held  in  the  large  court-room,  which  was 
filled  with  the  friends  of  the  dead  man,  those  of 
the  prisoner,  and  others  who  came  out  of  curi- 
osity to  see  the  first  trial  of  the  kind  which  had 
been  held  in  Brett  County  for  a  full  generation. 
A  jury  of  six,  with  Major  Brett  as  foreman,  was 
promptly  selected,  and  the  prisoner  was  brought 
in  by  a  deputy,  the  sheriff  being  already  on  duty 
in  the  room.  The  jury  sat  on  one  side  of  a  long 
table,  with  the  foreman  near  the  head  of  it  and 
opposite  the  chair  for  the  witness ;  while  the 
coroner  sat  on  the  other  side,  but  below  the 
centre  of  the  table,  with  the  sheriff  and  one  of 
the  deputies,  Billy  McMahon,  near  him. 

June  McMahon,  with  her  soft  eyes,  a  preposter- 
ously healthy  and  handsome  babe  in  her  arms, 
was  constantly  before  Tom's  sight.  Turn  as  he 
would,  he  could  not  escape  her  pathetic  plea  for 
her  brother. 

The  story  of  the  finding  of  the  dead  body  of 
Sam  Reardon  was  quickly  told  by  the  brother 
and  his  wife.  The  cause  of  death  was  proved 
by   the   report   of   the   coroner  who  made  the 


THE  INQUEST  225 

autopsy,  and  by  the  evidence  of  the  persons  who 
witnessed  it.  The  physical  fact  was  established 
that  the  shot  could  have  been  fired  only  by  a 
person  outside  of  the  cabin,  and  through  the 
small  window  which  so  conveniently  exposed 
the  top  of  the  sleeping  man's  head.  The  effort 
to  fix  the  crime  depended  entirely  upon  circum- 
stantial evidence,  as  no  one  had  seen  the  deed 
perpetrated.  Presumptive  evidence  was,  how- 
ever, abundant  and  strong.  It  followed  in 
logical  sequence,  and  it  seemed  conclusive.  It 
was  proven  beyond  question  that  rivalry  had 
existed  between  the  dead  man  and  the  prisoner, 
that  this  rivalry  had  developed  a  bitter  enmity 
which  had  often  been  expressed  in  dire  threats 
of  personal  injury  from  each  of  the  rivals.  A 
vivid  account  of  the  big  fight  was  given,  and 
much  stress  was  put  upon  the  parting  words  of 
the  prisoner  to  his  antagonist. 

"  Sam,  I  said  '  'nufi",'  but  that  ain't  all,"  was, 
in  the  light  of  subsequent  events,  considered  by 
many  a  threat  of  future  vengeance.  When 
closely  questioned  by  the  coroner,  all  the  wit- 
nesses admitted  that,  at  the  moment  of  utterance, 
this  construction  had  not  been  put  upon  the 
expression,  though  they  could  now  see  its  real 
meaning. 

Evidence  was  also  conclusive  that  the  prisoner's 
mode  of  living  had  changed  greatly  after  the 
fight.  He  had  shunned  companionship,  had  held 
3,loof  from  hi§  neighbors,  ha4  le<4  tlje  Jife  of  a 


226  DOCTOR  TOM 

recluse,  and  had  spent  much  time  in  lonely 
wanderings  on  the  mountain  sides,  as  if  con- 
templating a  crime  or  seeking  an  opportunity  to 
commit  it. 

It  was  proved  that  he  was  more  often  seen  on 
the  Reardon  side  of  the  valley  than  on  his  own ; 
that  he  always  carried  his  Winchester ;  and  that 
he  acted  as  if  he  were  trying  to  avoid  observa- 
tion. These  facts  were  all  that  could  be  proved 
by  the  valley  people ;  but  they  seemed  to  show 
both  cause  and  opportunity  for  the  deed,  and 
they  had  great  weight  with  the  jury.  It  was 
also  shown  that  Sam  Reardon  had  no  other 
aknowledged  enemy. 

The  case  against  Jim  Joy  was  hardened  by 
the  evidence  of  the  three  hog-hunters,  whose 
testimony  was  now  introduced.  Each  of  them 
declared,  under  oath,  that  he  had  seen  the 
prisoner,  Winchester  in  hand,  rapidly  leaving 
the  vicinity  of  the  Reardon  cabin ;  that  there 
could  be  no  mistake  of  identity,  for  the  prisoner 
had  passed  quite  near  them,  but  so  self-absorbed 
as  not  to  be  aware  of  their  presence.  Each  man 
told  the  tale  in  his  own  way,  but  there  were  no 
discrepancies,  and  the  coroner  could  neither  con- 
fuse them  nor  change  the  narrative  by  sharp  and 
persistent  questioning.  They  accounted  for  their 
own  presence  upon  the  scene  by  the  well-known 
custom  of  hog-hunting,  or  hog-clairaing  tramps, 
which  were  of  frequent  occurrence ;  and  they 
proved  the  genuineness  of  this  hunt  by  establish- 


THE  INQUEST  227 

ing  the  fact  that  they  returned  with  fifty -seven 
swine  with  the  three  slits  on  the  right  ear  and 
the  under  bit  on  the  left — -the  recognized 
McCandless  mark. 

Things  looked  bad  for  the  prisoner,  and  there 
was  not  a  man  on  the  jury  who  was  not  ready 
to  hold  him  for  the  verdict  of  the  criminal  court. 

The  evidence  for  the  defence  was  weak.  It 
simply  proved  the  general  good  character  of  the 
prisoner  and  the  improbability  that  such  a  man 
could,  or  would,  commit  such  a  crime.  No 
attempt  was  made  to  break  the  chain  of  pre- 
sumptive evidence,  for  its  strength  was  known 
and  admitted.  When  the  prisoner  was  called 
upon  to  give  testimony  for  himself,  he  could  not 
deny  one  single  link  in  the  chain  of  condemning 
circumstances  that  bound  him.  He  had  to 
admit  the  rivalry,  the  enmity,  the  fight,  the 
aloofness,  the  armed  haunting  of  Reardon's 
cabin,  and  the  fact  that  he  was  on  the  mountain 
side  in  the  early  morning  of  the  tragedy.  All  he 
said  in  defence  seemed  improbable  to  the  listen- 
ers, and  it  had  no  weight  with  the  jury. 

« It's  nateral,  but  I  couldn't  'a'  done  it.  Me 
an'  Sam  was  pals,  and  he  was  squar  with  me  in 
the  big  fight,  —  he  coulder  had  my  eye,  but  he 
give  me  a  chanst.  I  hunted  Sam  for  more'n  a 
week  ter  find  him  alone  so  I  could  make  up 
'long  o'  him ;  but  I  never  could  'a'  hurted  him 
after  that  fight." 

This  statement  found  credence  with  a  few,  but 


228  DOCTOR  TOM 

only  the  few  who  were  in  closest  touch  with  the 
man.  June  McMahon's  face  was  drowned  in 
tears,  which  splashed  on  the  baby's  bald  head, 
and  Tom  could  see  that  she  believed  all  that  her 
brother  said.  Billy  and  the  sheriff  accepted 
his  word,  but  most  of  the  crowd  had  no  faith  in 
the  statement,  and  looked  for  a  prompt  commit- 
ment. The  evidence  for  and  against  the  prisoner 
was  all  in,  and  the  coroner  turned  to  the  jury 
and  said :  — 

"  You  have  heard  what  has  been  said  against 
and  for  the  prisoner.  A  strong  chain  of  circum- 
stantial evidence  has  been  established,  both  by 
witnesses  and  by  the  full  admission  of  the  ac- 
cused man.  There  has  been  no  effort  made  to 
deny,  or  even  to  weaken,  a  single  proven  fact. 
The  only  defence  is  the  bald  denial  of  the  pris- 
oner ;  this  must  be  taken  simply  as  a  plea  of  '  not 
guilty,'  which  every  accused  man  is  expected  to 
make  that  he  may  have  a  full  hearing  before  the 
proper  court.  Presumptive  evidence  is  sufficient 
at  times  to  establish  guilt,  and  this  case  presents 
strong  features ;  but  such  evidence  must  always 
be  accepted  as  admitting  of  some  degree  of  un- 
certainty, and  it  must  consequently  be  acted  upon 
with  caution.  The  strongest  chain  of  circum- 
stantial evidence  will  not  bear  the  strain  of  one 
item  of  positive  evidence  which  runs  counter  to 
it.  I  will  now  try  to  establish  a  fact  which  will 
change  the  complexion  of  this  case,  and  which 
will  show  the  danger  of  acting  upon  probabili- 


THE  INQUEST  229 

ties,  no  matter  how    strong   they  may  appear. , 
I  call  the  sheriff  to  the  witness-stand." 

Tom's  speech  created  a  sensation  that  was  not 
diminished  as  the  trial  proceeded.  Cal  took  his 
place  and  was  sworn. 

"  Were  you  present  at  the  autopsy  held  by  me 
on  the  body  of  Sam  Reardon  on  the  evening  of 
July  6?" 

"  Shore  ;  I  was  there." 

"Did  you  see  me  remove  a  bullet  from  the 
back  of  the  dead  man  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  suhtenly  did." 

"  What  was  done  with  the  bullet  ?  " 

"  Yo'  gave  it  to  me,  don't  yo'  'member  ?  " 

"  Have  you  it  now  ?  " 

"Why,  of  course,  Tom  ;  you  told  me  to  keep  it." 

"  Will  you  now  show  it  to  the  jury  ?  " 

"Shore."  And  Cal  produced  the  bullet  from 
a  deep  pocket. 

"  Has  this  bullet  been  out  of  your  possession 
since  I  gave  it  to  you  ?  " 

"  Not  by  a  damned  —  " 

"  Do  you  swear  that  this  is  the  bullet  which 
you  received  from  me  ?  " 

"  That's  jes'  what  I  was  startin'  to  do,  Tom, 
but  yo'  'rupted  me." 

"  Are  you  willing  to  swear  that  this  is  the 
identical  bullet?" 

"  May  I  be  everlastin'ly  —  " 

«  That  will  do,  Mr.  Sheriff ;  you  may  give  the 
bullet  to  the  foreman  of  the  jury." 


230  DOCTOR  TOM 

Major  Brett  took  possession  of  the.  bullet. 

« I  will  ask  Deputy  Billy  McMahon  if  he  has 
Jim  Joy's  gun?" 

"  Yes,  suh,  jes'  under  the  table." 

"  Snap  a  cartridge  out  of  it  and  give  it  to  the 
Major,  Billy." 

This  was  done,  and  then  Tom  said :  — 

"  What  is  that  cartridge,  Major  ?  " 

"  This,  suh,  is  a  U.  S.  .45,  such  as  is  invariably 
used  in  the  Winchester  rifle  of  that  caliber,  suh." 

"  Is  the  loose  bullet  of  the  same  size  as  the 
one  in  the  cartridge,  Major  ?  " 

"  It  is  certainly  not,  suh.  The  loose  bullet  is 
unquestionably  the  larger — a  .48  or  possibly  a 
.60  caliber,  suh." 

« Will  you  remove  the  bullet  from  the  shell 
and  try  to  replace  it  with  the  loose  one.  Major  ?  " 

« It  will  be  futile,  suh,  but  to  demonstrate  — 
certainly."  The  Major  made  the  experiment, 
but  it  proved  as  he  had  foretold. 

"  It  is  a  projectile  of  caliber  .50  without  ques- 
tion, suh,"  said  the  Major,  when  the  demon- 
stration was  completed. 

"  It  has  been  confirmed  by  every  witness  that 
the  prisoner  carried  his  Winchester,  which  is  of 
the  usual  pattern  and  of  caliber  .45,"  said  the 
coroner,  "and  it  has  now  been  shown  that  the 
bullet  which  killed  Sam  Reardon  was  of  a 
larger  size  than  could  pass  through  the  barrel 
of  the  prisoner's  rifle.  These  two  facts  are  abso- 
lutely conclusive  as  to  the  innocence  of  Jim  Joy, 


THE  INQUEST  231 

and,  with  the  consent  of  the  jury,  I  exonerate 
him  from  any  part  in  this  crime,  and  discharge 
him  from  custody." 

A  wave  of  excitement  swept  the  audience,  and 
June's  tears  again  washed  the  bald  head  of  Tom 
Hendricks  McMahon. 

The  coroner  resumed :  "  It  is  now  the  duty  of 
the  jury  to  consider  the  significance  of  the  item 
of  positive  evidence  that  has  just  been  submitted. 
It  is  generally  known  that  one  man,  and  one 
only,  in  this  county,  owns  a  rifle  of  a  caliber  to 
accommodate  the  bullet  which  was  found  in  the 
body  of  Sam  Reardon ;  and  it  has  also  been  ad- 
mitted, and  proved  by  evidence,  that  the  owner 
of  this  rifle  was  near  the  cabin  of  the  deceased 
when  the  fatal  shot  was  fired.  In  the  face  of 
these  facts,  it  is  my  duty  to  present  the  owner 
of  this  rifle  to  you  for  question  and  examination. 
I  will  issue  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  Jim 
McCand  — " 

"'Fore  Gawd,  yo'll  never  write  that  order, 
Tom  Hendricks,"  said  Jim  McCandless,  as  he 
strode  forward,  revolver  in  hand.  There  was 
the  muffled  bark  of  a  Smith  &  Wesson,  and  the 
raised  weapon  clattered  on  the  floor,  while  the 
arm  that  held  it  dropped  heavily,  as  the  coroner's 
steady  voice  went  on  :  — 

"You  must  not  interrupt  the  court,  McCand- 
less. I  have  just  written  an  order  for  your 
arrest." 

The    sheriff    stooped,    and,    with   insalivated 


232  DOCTOR  TOM 

thumb  and  fingers,  quenched  the  rim  of  fire 
which  was  spreading  in  a  circle  on  Tom's  coat, 
as  he  muttered  :  — 

"  Damn  fool !  What  chanst  has  a  man  agin 
a  coroner  noway?"  and  to  his  prisoner  he  said  :  — 

"  Yo'  suhtenly  is  a  great  many  kinds  of  a  fool, 
Jim,  but  that  was  the  wast !  " 

Major  Brett  was  on  his  feet  at  the  first  crack 
of  a  gun.  The  muzzle  of  his  big  navy  fell  natu- 
rally into  the  crook  of  his  left  elbow,  his  steady 
eyes  grew  narrow,  and  his  voice  was  level  and 
easily  heard  :  — 

"  The  unseemly  interruption  of  the  proceed- 
ings of  this  court  has  met  immediate,  though 
inadequate,  punishment.  I  do  not  anticipate  a 
second  attack,  but,  for  the  credit  and  honor  of 
the  county,  I  stand  guard."  And  the  doughty 
little  man  did  not  resume  his  seat  until  the  jury 
had  committed  Jim  McCandless,  without  bail,  to 
the  criminal  court,  charged  with  the  murder  of 
Sam  Reardon. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII 

THE    AMBER   LIGHT 

The  August  day  had  been  trying,  and  the 
evening  brought  scant  relief.  With  windows 
and  doors  wide  open,  Doctor  Tom  sought  such 
comfort  as  he  could  find  in  his  lonesome  rooms 
(the  sheriff  was  off  on  county  business),  by 
changing  from  one  to  another  in  fruitless  effort. 
He  finally  seated  himself  in  front  of  a  south 
window  in  his  bedroom,  hoping  there  to  find  the 
breath  of  southwest  air  which  would  surely 
shake  the  aspen  leaves  in  the  small  hours. 

In  white  flannels,  russet-belted  at  the  waist, 
his  negligee  shirt  loosened  at  throat  and  wrists, 
he  sat  and  pushed  back  the  moist  hair  from 
brow  and  temples,  as  if  to  invite  the  vagrant  air 
to  visit  his  clean-shaven  face.  He  filled  his 
pipe  and  slowly  smoked,  while,  in  tilted  chair 
and  with  feet  on  ledge,  he  tried  to  reconcile  him- 
self to  the  hot  night.  The  moon  cast  long,  dim 
rays  into  the  room,  one  reaching  even  to  the 
opposite  door,  for  she  was  but  little  more  than 
half  grown  and  was  seeking  early  rest  behind 
the  hills.  His  pipe  died  and  fell  into  his  lap,  as, 
with  hands  clasped  behind  his  head,  he  watched 

233 


234  DOCTOR  TOM 

a  star  which  shone  in  the  southern  sky  with  such 
unusual  light  that  its  neighbors  paled  and  grew 
dim.  Soon  the  light  changed  to  red-brown  and 
shone  into  his  heart,  and  he  was  glad  ;  for  the 
red-brown  star  looked  deep  into  that  heart  and 
did  not  fail  to  search  every  chamber  of  it,  and 
yet  it  turned  not  away. 

A  light  footfall  on  the  stairs,  a  friendly  tap- 
ping of  Ham's  tail  on  the  floor  of  the  middle 
room,  a  quick  catching  of  hurried  breath  in  the 
hall,  and  Tom  turned  to  see  a  beautiful  woman 
standing  in  the  open  door  of  his  chamber.  The 
moon's  faint  rays  touched  the  whiteness  of  her 
thin  gown  and  revealed  the  clearer  skin  of  her 
ankles  and  slippered  feet.  Her  face  was  in 
shadow,  but  it  was  visibly  pale,  and  floated  her 
eyes  like  dark  islands.  Before  she  could  speak, 
Tom  sprang  forward. 

"  Cora,  dear,  what's  the  matter  ?  Is  anything 
wrong  with  the  Major  ?  " 

"  There's  nothing  wrong  with  Dad  ;  it's  me 
that's  wrong.  Can  I  talk  to  you.  Doctor  Tom  ?  " 
and  the  girl  came  close  to  him. 

"  Surely  you  can,  child ;  who  else  better  ? 
But  let's  go  outside.  I'll  walk  home  with  you, 
and  you  shall  tell  me  everything." 

"  But  I  don't  want  to  go  outside ;  I  don't 
want  to  go  home,  —  not  now  I  I  want  to  talk 
with  you  here  in  your  room,  alone,  —  at  mid- 
night." 

"But  Cora  — " 


THE  AMBEE  LIGHT  236 

"  Don't  stop  me,  Tom ;  I'm  desperate !  I've 
watched  your  rooms  all  night,  —  I've  w^atched 
them  a  thousand  nights,  —  and  I  knew  you  w^ere 
awake,  for  I  saw  the  light  of  a  match,  and  I 
just  couldn't  stand  it  any  longer.  I  must  see 
you,  Tom,  —  I  can't  help  it !  " 

"  Come  out  under  the  stars,  dear,  and  we'll 
talk  till  morning." 

« I  ain't  your  dear,  Tom  Hendricks,  and  you 
know  it,  —  but  I  wish  to  God  I  was." 

"  Hush,  Cora,  you  mustn't  say  that." 

"  Why  mustn't  I  say  it  ?  It's  true,  a  thousand 
times  over,  and  I  won't  smother  myself  any 
longer !  I  love  you,  Tom  !  "  and  the  girl  grasped 
his  arm,  while  her  breath  burned  his  cheek, 
"better  than  life,  or  body,  or  soul,  and  I  can't 
live  without  you  !     I  can't !     I  can't !  " 

Her  face  fell  into  nature's  pillow,  between  his 
neck  and  shoulder,  her  lips  pressed  his  cheek,  and 
her  turbulent  heart  pounded  the  walls  of  his 
chest  for  admittance.  Cora  was  beautiful,  eager, 
insistent,  and  the  heart  of  the  man  was  battered 
beyond  recognition ;  but  the  hope  of  self-control 
was  still  fighting. 

"  I  don't  love  you,  I  can't  love  you,  Cora,  in 
the  right  way ;  and  we  must  get  out  into  the 
open,"  said  poor  Tom. 

"  I  know  you  don't — you  never  pretended  to — 
and  I  can't  be  your  wife,  — but  can't  I  be  some- 
thing to  you,  Tom  ?  I'm  not  a  child,  —  I'm  over 
twenty-two,  —  and  I've  thought  it  all  out,  and 


236  DOCTOR  TOM 

I  can't  live  without  you.  Don't  you  want  me, 
Tom  ?  Don't  you  want  me  ?  What  are  you 
made  of,  Tom  Hendricks  ?  "  and  the  girl  slipped 
in  a  heap  on  the  floor. 

"Of  such  poor  stuff,  Cora,  that  I  can't  lower 
my  guard  for  a  minute,  God  help  me ! "  said 
Tom,  as  he  stooped  and  gathered  the  girl  in  his 
arms.  He  rushed  downstairs  with  her  soft  body 
close  to  him,  her  warm  breast  against  his  own, 
her  lips  glued  to  his  cheek,  and  he  knew  that  the 
stars  were  reached  none  too  soon. 

"  Forgive  me,  child  !  I  was  weak  as  sand  and 
water  !  I'll  be  stronger  in  the  open ;  but  how 
can  I  face  the  Major  after  putting  you  to  peril  ?  " 

"  It  was  me,  Tom ;  it  was  all  me,"  said  poor, 
trembling  Cora,  as  they  walked  toward  her 
home. 

"You're  a  child,  and  I'm  a  man,  —  save  the 
mark!  You  loved  with  intensity  —  I  had  no 
such  excuse ;  you  were  my  guest  —  I  forgot  it. 
I  must  do  penance,  dear,  for  the  Major  called  me 
a  'gallant  and  courteous  gentleman,'  and  I  have 
failed  him." 

« Oh,  Tom,  don't !  You'll  make  me  die  of 
shame,"  said  the  girl,  as  they  seated  themselves 
on  the  steps  of  the  Major's  residence.  The  moon 
had  set,  but  the  stars  showed  clear,  and  a  gentle 
breeze  stirred  the  leaves. 

"  May  I  tell  you  something,  Cora,  that  is  very 
close  to  me  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Tom,  —  anything." 


THE   AMBER  LIGHT  237 

"  I  watched  a  star  to-night  that  seemed  won- 
derfully beautiful ;  and,  as  I  watched,  its  beauty 
grew  until  the  whole  southern  sky  was  filled 
with  its  glory,  and  I  could  see  no  other.  In  a 
far-off  way,  I  claimed  that  star  as  mine.  I 
wanted  it,  dear,  beyond  every  other  star,  for  it 
seemed  an  essential  part  of  my  soul.  While  I 
watched,  the  color  changed  and  became  red- 
brown,  but  the  light  held,  and  its  amber  rays 
shone  into  my  heart  and  illumined  every  corner 
of  it ;  and  I  was  happy,  and  proud,  too,  for  the 
light  did  not  fail  or  lose  one  ray  of  its  splendid 
beauty,  but  seemed  at  home  there.  In  my  pride 
I  dreamed  that  my  heart  was  a  fit  home  for  it, 
and  I  began  to  plan  the  future  with  this  red- 
brown  light  as  my  guide.  But  I  was  mistaken, 
dear;  the  light  had  not  searched  every  corner. 
It  overlooked  a  weak  spot,  which  would  make  it 
impossible  for  the  amber  light  to  be  happy  there ; 
a  spot  so  weak  that  no  good  fighting  could  be 
made  on  it,  and  the  fighter  must  needs  run 
away.  The  star  is  in  the  sky  yet,  Cora,  but  I 
dare  not  hope  to  draw  it  down  until  my  heart  is 
pure  enough  to  offer  a  home  to  every  ray  of  the 
red-brown  light." 

"  I'm  sorry,  Tom !  I'm  sorry !  What  will 
you  do  ?  What  will  anybody  do  ? "  There 
were  tears  on  the  girl's  cheeks. 

"  I  must  wait,  Cora,  and  not  lower  my  guard, 
but  it  will  be  long.  What  will  you  do,  Cora  ? 
Shall  I  tell  you  ?     You  will  wait,  too,  but  it  will 


238  DOCTOR  TOM 

not  be  long ;  for  I  see  love  gathering  for  you  like 
a  flood  in  the  mountain.  It  cannot  long  be  kept 
within  bounds,  and  when  it  bursts  forth  it  will 
come  with  a  rush  that  nothing  can  resist.  It 
will  catch  you,  toss  you,  whirl  you  whether  you 
will  or  no,  for  it  is  strong ;  it  will  bruise  and 
hurt  you,  but  it  will  do  you  no  harm,  for  it  is 
clean ;  and  it  will  follow  you  among  the  rocks 
and  over  the  riffles,  for  it  is  faithful.  You  will 
reject  it,  dear,  and  scorn  it,  and  fight  it,  but 
your  little  hands  will  beat  flecks  of  futile  foam 
which  the  breath  of  your  mountain  lover  will 
blow  over  you  while  he  gathers  you  to  himself. 
When  the  first,  sharp  struggle  is  over,  dear,  you 
will  float  rapidly  to  the  peaceful  lake  of  content- 
ment, there  to  rest  happily ;  for  you  can  then 
look  up  into  the  stars  and  know  that  though 
they  send  their  rays  deep  into  your  bosom, 
they  will  find  naught  but  crj^stal  there." 

The  girl  stood  close  in  front  of  the  man,  who 
sat  on  her  father's  steps  and  yet  was  so  far 
away.  Tears  overran  her  eyes  and  fell  on  his 
upturned  face,  which  was  held  between  the 
palms  of  her  hands ;  her  voice  was  broken,  but 
the  words  came  distinct  and  slow :  — 

"  Tom,  dear,  I'll  never  forget  this  night,  and, 
thank  you^  I'll  never  regret  it.  This  is  for,  —  I 
try  to  mean  it,  —  for  the  red-brown  lady,"  and 
sh©  kissed  his  lips  and  was  gone. 


CHAPTER   XXXIV 

THE    KEFORMATION 

Early  September  saw  the  rails  laid  to  the 
village  of  Brettville.  They  had  steadily  crept 
their  parallel  course  without  hindrance  or 
obstruction,  and  new  life  and  fresh  interests  had 
accompanied  them.  It  was  hard  to  realize  that 
scarce  two  years  had  passed  since  Doctor  Tom 
discovered  this  mediaeval  people  stranded  in  a 
mountain  range  which  isolated  and  repressed 
them  beyond  reason.  They  were  American  by 
long  lineage,  but  un-American  in  civilization ; 
they  were  accessible,  but  unsought ;  they  were 
on  the  border  of  the  twentieth,  but  their  lives 
belonged  to  the  seventeenth,  century ;  they  were 
in  easy  touch  with  civilized  people,  but  the  weak 
barrier  of  hills  sufficed  to  hem  and  confine  them. 
Their  wants  were  elementary,  their  modes  of  life 
primitive,  their  ambitions  childish,  their  vices 
exaggerated  by  lack  of  variety,  their  virtues 
unrecognized  for  want  of  standards.  A  key  had 
been  found  to  unlock  the  mountains  and  open  up 
the  valleys,  to  put  the  people  in  touch  with 
modern  methods,  to  repress  vice,  stimulate  virtue, 
arouse  ambition,  multiply    wants,  and    increase 

239 


240  DOCTOR  TOM 

the  power  of  gratifying  them.  This  key  was  a 
cultivated,  capable  gentleman,  whose  physical 
prowess  was  sufficient  to  earn  the  respect  of  the 
hardiest  mountaineer,  whose  mind  was  practical, 
forceful,  and  direct,  and  whose  heart  was  as  tender 
as  a  woman's  and  as  stout  as  Sir  Galahad's. 

To  live  his  daily  life  with  the  mountain  folk 
was  all  that  Doctor  Tom  ever  sought  to  do.  He 
did  the  things  which  they  did,  but  he  did  them 
better.  He  rode,  shot,  swam,  wrestled,  and 
fought  better  than  they,  and  they  honored  him 
for  his  superiority.  His  practical  mind  saw 
ways  for  improving  their  swine  and  their  hus- 
bandry, and  these  improvements  increased  profits 
and  brought  respect  for  the  originator.  His 
sympathetic  nature  impelled  him  to  innumerable 
deeds  of  kindness,  which  won  the  love  of  the 
mountains,  while  his  indomitable  courage  com- 
pelled admiration.  With  such  a  self-balanced 
life  in  daily  evidence,  but  making  no  claim  to 
peculiar  merit,  and  honestly  unconscious  of 
personal  influence,  it  was  not  surprising  that  he 
should  move  the  mountains  to  new  life.  Soil 
and  sun  were  there,  and  all  that  was  needed  to 
make  the  mountains  and  valleys  bring  forth 
abundantly  was  irrigation  of  ideas  and  practical 
thoughts.  Doctor  Tom  could  furnish  these  in 
abundance,  for,  in  spite  of  the  handicap  of  dreamy 
eyes,  he  was  essentially  practical,  and  his  New 
England  blood  instinctively  rebelled  at  the  sight 
of  shiftless  husbandry  and  mediaeval  stagnation. 


THE  REFORMATION"  241 

He  was  a  born  reformer ;  but  his  reformation 
came  as  the  result  of  practice  rather  than  of 
precept,  and  by  example  rather  than  by  sermon, 
for  he  was  never  a  talker.  Indeed,  he  said  as 
little  as  the  average  mountain  man,  and  this  gave 
him  merit  in  the  minds  of  a  silent  people.  Sug- 
gestions here  and  there,  the  wise  use  of  money, 
kindness  and  ability  in  his  profession,  a  fixed 
desire  to  quench  the  feuds  which  were  burning 
up  the  energy  of  the  people,  and  a  determination 
to  open  up  the  county  for  the  advent  of  industry 
and  capital,  were  his  only  resources ;  but  he 
made  much  of  them,  and  he  was  never  in  doubt 
as  to  what  he  wanted  to  accomplish.  His  per- 
sonalitj''  counted  for  more  than  he  knew,  and 
made  some  things  easy  which  would  have  been 
impossible  for  a  person  less  gifted.  He  won  the 
sheriff,  the  Major,  Billy  McMahon,  Sam  McCand- 
less,  and  hosts  of  others  by  means  which  seemed 
simple  and  ordinary  to  him,  but  which  would 
have  been  beyond  the  power  of  most  men.  He 
not  only  won  them,  but  he  held  them  close 
captive  by  his  consistent  life,  his  absolute  reli- 
ability, and  his  daily  effort  to  be  of  use  to  them. 
The  results  of  two  years'  diligent  work  and 
right  living  were  marvellous  when  measured  by 
former  days, — a  clean,  capable  sheriff,  who  would 
do  his  duty  when  he  saw  it,  regardless  of  con- 
sequences ;  a  coroner  who  was  "  not  of  a  timid 
nature  "  ;  a  judge  who  was  equal  to  any  emer- 
gency, now  that  he  was  stirred  from  his  lethargy  ; 


242  DOCTOR  TOM 

a  grand  seigneur  keenly  alive  to  the  reformation 
and  to  the  honor  of  the  county ;  and  an  expres- 
sion of  approval,  tacit  at  least,  of  the  new^  state 
of  affairs,  from  the  majority  of  the  people.  The 
McCandless  gang,  the  worst  in  the  hills,  v^ras 
effectually  broken  up  by  the  death  of  Bill,  the 
arrest  of  Jim,  and  the  personal  loyalty  of  Sam  to 
Doctor  Tom.  The  McCalls  were  harmless  from 
much  the  same  causes :  Black  Jack  was  dead, 
Abe  was  neutral  from  interest,  and  old  Mike  was 
in  open  amity  with  the  new  conditions.  But 
one  murder  had  been  committed,  and  for  this 
the  worst  and  most  lawless  man  in  the  moun- 
tains had  been  promptly  passed  through  the  pre- 
liminary "legal  machinery,"  as  Major  Brett 
called  it,  and  was  now  awaiting  his  trial.  This 
had  been  done  so  easily  and  swiftly  as  to  sur- 
prise people  who  had  been  accustomed  to  see 
lawless  men  overawe  juries  and  carry  things 
with  a  high  hand  over  the  county  officers.  The 
arrest  and  commitment  of  Jim  McCandless  had 
been  an  object-lesson  which  the  « criminal 
classes"  were  not  likely  to  forget,  for  he  had 
been  looked  upon  as  a  leader  who  was  practi- 
cally above  the  law.  His  collapse,  then,  meant 
dire  things  to  others  of  less  power  if  they  fell 
into  evil  ways. 

The  force  that  checked  lawlessness  seemed  to 
liberate  energy  and  enterprise  in  all  directions, 
and  there  was  unaccustomed  life  throughout  the 
borders   of    Brett.     Better   husbandry   and   im- 


THE  REFORMATION  243 

proved  stock  gave  increased  product  to  dispose 
of,  while  the  influx  of  a  small  army  of  workmen 
brought  a  quick  market  to  the  very  door  of  the 
producer.  Prospectors  came  in  search  of  coal 
and  iron,  and  left  considerable  sums  of  money  in 
payment  of  purchased  property,  or,  what  was 
more  frequent  and  more  in  accord  with  the  ad- 
vice of  the  Major  and  the  Doctor,  as  earnest 
money  or  as  advance  royalties. 

As  money  grew  plentiful,  wants  increased,  and 
uses  for  money  became  apparent.  The  most 
discouraging  feature  of  the  early  situation  was 
the  absence  of  "  wants,"  and  all  Doctor  Tom's 
work  had  been  directed  toward  increasing  them, 
for  the  sake  of  their  humanizing  effect  and  for 
the  sense  of  responsibility  which  they  were  cer- 
tain to  bring.  Abundant  evidence  of  the  utility 
of  "  wants  "  was  furnished  by  the  changing  man- 
ners of  the  people ;  and  this  was  shown  quite  as 
much  among  the  women  and  children  as  among 
the  men.  Hopelessness,  which  had  been  their 
ruling  habit,  gradually  changed  to  expectancy ; 
and  if  better  things  were  slow  in  coming  to 
some,  they  could  still  see  that  good  had  come  to 
their  neighbors,  and  they  took  fresh  courage. 
They  made  more  of  their  small  belongings,  kept 
their  cabins  neater,  added  to  their  meagre  bills 
of  fare,  took  more  note  of  personal  attire,  and 
faced  the  future  with  less  of  the  despondency  to 
which  they  had  been  born. 

With   prosperity  and   new  possibilities  came 


244  DOCTOR  TOM 

willingness  to  live  at  peace  with  their  neighbors 
and  with  the  government.  Illicit  stills  rapidly- 
disappeared  as  the  moonshiner's  energy  found 
other  vent.  They  were  neglected,  dismantled,  or 
burned,  —  it  mattered  not  which  ;  for  they  were 
put  out  of  business,  except  in  the  remotest  cor- 
ners, with  the  effect  of  developing  a  new  sense 
of  security  and  a  more  frankly  open  attitude  in 
all  things.  The  lean  and  depleted  shelves  of  the 
stores  became  heavy-laden  with  fresh  merchan- 
dise to  meet  the  new  demands,  and  the  unprece- 
dented volume  of  business  aroused  the  traders  to 
unwonted  activity. 

"  Our  merchants  develop  enterprise  to  meet 
the  occasion,  suh,"  said  the  Major,  "and  our 
business  houses  take  on  the  bustle  and  thrift  of 
commerce  with  alacrity.  We  are  not  only  dis- 
posing of  our  surplus  with  facility,  but  we  are 
opening  a  new  market  for  the  world's  output, 
suh.  Our  awakening  to  a  sense  of  our  obliga- 
tion to  others  is  bringing  forth  fruit  which  will 
be  eaten,  suh,  with  mutual  advantage.  We  were 
certainly  unwise  to  shut  ourselves  off  so  com- 
pletely. A  degree  of  exclusiveness  is  to  be  com- 
mended, but  it  may  be  carried  too  far,  suh. 
Isolation  is  liable  to  cause  narrowness  of  vision 
and  contraction  of  ideas,  which  would  tend,  if 
persisted  in,  to  dwarf  the  intellect,  suh." 

"It  is  surprising  to  note  the  rapid  increase  of 
the  circulating  medium,"  said  the  Major  to  Mike 
McCall,  one  day  in  early  September,  as  they  sat 


THE  KEPOKMATION  245 

in  Abe  McCall's  saloon  and  poured  libations  of 
corn-juice,  with  discretion. 

McCall  was  now  opulent,  as  compared  with 
his  former  estate.  In  lieu  of  the  mortgage,  so 
long  an  asset  of  the  Brett  Bank,  he  had  a  paper- 
fold  which  held  a  very  tidy  sum  of  money,  and 
which  received  monthly  additions  from  royalties 
for  his  minerals,  which,  on  account  of  their 
location,  were  the  first  to  be  exploited.  He  was 
in  full  accord  with  the  progressive  movement, 
for  it  brought  comfort  for  his  declining  years ; 
and,  so  far  as  his  fierce  spirit  could  bend,  he  was 
willing  to  live  in  amity  with  the  rest  of  the 
world,  —  when  he  was  sober,  even  with  old  man 
Joy,  his  dearest  foe.  When  full  of  corn-juice, 
however,  the  old  fires  would  rekindle,  his  griz- 
zled brows  would  contract,  and  the  spirit  of  the 
old  feud  would  assert  itself.  As  he  sat  with  the 
Major  in  his  son's  saloon,  he  was  the  modernized 
McCall,  and  was  quite  willing  to  agree  with  the 
optimistic  view  of  his  companion. 

«I  will  say,  suh,  that  active  money  has 
increased  fourfold  in  the  past  twelve  months, 
and  it  is  still  expanding.  I  apprehend,  suh,  that 
we  may  thank  the  young  gentleman  who 
occupies  the  rooms  above  this  refreshment  hall 
for  much  of  this  prosperity." 

"Fer  every  damned  bit  of  it,  Majah.  We- 
uns  was  jes'  flat  on  our  backs,  like  turtles,  when 
he  comed  and  turned  us  over." 

"  It  is  wonderful,  McCall,  that  one  man  could 


246  DOCTOR  TOM 

do  what  this  man  has  done  without  apparent 
«ffort.  He  simply  attends  to  his  own  affairs, 
suh,  and  we  fall  into  line  to  meet  his  require- 
ments.    It  is  marvellous,  suh,  marvellous  !  " 

"  It's  'cause  he  don't  talk  none,  but  jes'  keeps 
a-knittin'  and  a-knittin'  and  don't  try  to  do 
things  with  we-uns.  Any  galoot  of  a  Rider 
would  say  more  words  in  a  week  than  he  says 
in  a  year.  But  shucks !  No  preacher  can't  turn 
over  mountin  men  ;  it  takes  a  damned  good  man 
to  call  we-uns  down." 

"  You  are  correct,  suh ;  it  requires  peculiar 
suavity  of  manner  and  courage  of  the  finest 
temper  to  cope  with  the  exigencies  which  arise 
in  the  mountains.  He  is  a  man,  suh,  without 
fear  and  without  reproach." 

"  That's  jes'  it,  Majah ;  he  ain't  no  more 
afeard  than  a  damn  baby.  He  jes'  does  what 
he  thinks  he  ort  to,  and  every  galoot  must  get 
out  from  under  or  take  what's  comin'.  He'd 
scratch  a  match  on  a  powder  bar'l  if  he  wanted 
to  make  a  light  fer  a  feller  as  needed  it ! " 

"  I  reckon  this  would  be  news  to  our  young 
friend,  suh.  I  doubt  if  he  even  suspects  that  he 
is  a  reformer.  He  is  unconscious  of  the  part  he 
has  enacted,  and  he  would  not  believe  it  on 
evidence." 

«  That's  what  give  him  his  pull  with  we-uns, 
Majah  ;  if  he'd  'a'  knowed  it,  he  couldn't  'a'  done 
it,"  said  McCall. 

The  first  regular  train  drawing  passenger  cars 


THE  REFORMATION  247 

was  promised  at  eleven  o'clock  on  September 
seventeenth.  A  celebration  in  honor  of  the 
epoch-making  event  was  planned  by  the  villagers 
and  cordially  supported  by  the  mountain  people. 
Even  those  who  lived  farthest  from  the  line  of 
railroad  were  warm  in  support  of  it,  now  that  it 
had  become  an  established  fact,  and  they  looked 
forward  to  the  celebration  and  barbecue  as  an 
occasion  of  county  pride  and  personal  interest. 

The  orators  of  the  day  were  Major  Brett  and 
Judge  Pepper,  and  it  was  also  hoped  that  Jack 
Raymond,  president  of  the  road,  would  give  a 
talk  to  indicate  the  policy  of  the  company  and 
to  foreshadow  the  advantages  which  would 
follow  in  the  wake  of  the  enterprise. 

Doctor  Tom  looked  forward  to  the  day  with 
the  keenest  interest,  for  it  touched  him  in  both 
mind  and  heart.  It  was  the  crowning  event  of 
his  strenuous  two  years ;  the  physical  evidence 
that  his  mission-work  had  been  of  use.  The 
present  popularity  of  the  road  proved,  in  his 
mind,  that  the  county  had  been  ripe  for  com- 
mercial invasion,  and  that  all  that  had  been 
needed  to  set  it  in  motion  was  the  suggestion 
from  a  disinterested  person.  Neither  of  the 
factions  could  take  the  initiative  without  arous- 
ing the  antagonism  of  the  other,  but  an  out- 
sider could  prove  its  advantages  to  both.  He 
was  thankful  that  he  had  happened  to  be  the 
mediator,  for  it  had  given  him  an  opportunity  to 
be  of  practical  use  to  a  large  number  of  people. 


248  DOCTOR  TOM 

He  could  not  see  why  any  one  else  could  not 
have  done  as  much,  but  he  was  glad  that  the 
^lot  had  fallen  to  him.  His  mind  was  at  rest 
I  concerning  the  mountains,  for  they  showed  a 
thousand  evidences  of  new  and  better  life  which 
were  almost  sure  to  persist. 

His  heart  was,  however,  less  assured.  Since 
the  night  when  he  talked  with  Cal,  he  had  been 
fully  determined  to  declare  his  love  for  Ruth  at 
the  first  opportunity.  The  moment  was  coming, 
and,  while  no  thought  of  postponing  the  declara- 
tion entered  his  mind,  his  heart  was  turbulent 
with  alternate  hope  and  fear.  Even  though  she 
loved  him,  and  he  was  not  at  all  sure  of  that, 
how  could  he  ask  her  to  come  to  the  mountains, 
where  he  must  live  ?  Would  this  not  tax  even 
a  dear  love  too  heavily  ?  He  had  cast  his  lot 
with  the  mountain  people,  and  he  could  not 
leave  them  while  they  needed  him.  This  point 
was  not  debatable.  If  Ruth  could  not  give  up 
her  life  of  refinement  and  luxury,  he  must 
patiently  wait  until  he  was  free  to  leave  the 
work  that  had  fallen  to  him,  no  matter  how  long 
that  might  be.  It  did  matter  to  poor  Tom,  but 
he  accepted  the  alternative ;  for  it  was  the  duty 
next  him,  and  that  was  the  only  thing  he  knew. 
The  September  days  were  filled  with  conflict- 
ing emotions,  and  they  dragged  heavily.  He 
grew  impatient  to  put  his  happiness  to  the  test, 
and  he  often  sought  Cal  for  comfort,  which  was 
abundantly  given. 


THE   REFORMATION  249 

"  Yo'  don't  know  nothin'  about  weemin,  Tom ; 
I  tell  yo',  it's  a  cinch !  Why  don't  yo'  let  me 
manage  the  little  deputy  ?  I'm  the  feller  to 
make  her  own  up." 

« I  don't  dare  give  you  a  chance,  Cal ;  I'll  ask 
her  myself  on  the  seventeenth,  and  you  must 
wish  me  good  luck." 

«  Good  luck's  yo'  middle  name,  Tom." 


CHAPTER   XXXV 

THE   PRICE 

The  morning  of  the  celebration  broke  bright 
and  clear,  with  every  promise  of  a  perfect  day. 
The  village  was  early  astir,  and  strove  to  put  on 
gala  attire.  The  doors  of  the  court-house  were 
draped  with  bright-colored  calicoes,  and  the  stand 
for  the  speakers,  in  front  of  the  door  which 
faced  Tom's  office,  was  also  gayly  decorated. 
The  train  was  not  due  until  eleven,  and  the  long 
hours  of  the  morning  gave  ample  time  for  both 
civic  and  personal  adornment. 

Never  since  the  foundation  of  Brettville  had 
such  an  elaborate  dress  scheme  been  conceived 
and  brought  to  happy  issue.  Bright  calico  was 
new  and  crisp  on  the  back  of  maid  or  matron, 
and  with  fresh  garments  were  found  brighter 
smiles  and  more  fluent  speech.  The  men,  too, 
in  a  half-shamefaced  way,  honored  the  day  with 
their  best  clothes,  better  grooming  than  usual, 
and  concessions  of  some  portions  of  hair  and 
beard.  They  tried  to  add  solemnity  to  their 
faces,  as  befitted  occasions  of  personal  adorn- 
ment, but  they  failed  signally,  for  smiles  would 
show  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mouth,  even  when 

250 


THE  PRICE  261 

the  eyes  were  doing  their  best  to  look  sorrow- 
fuh  Explosions  of  laughter  were  heard  where 
groups  gathered,  but  they  were  cut  short  at  the 
second  note  as  suddenly  as  if  a  cork  had  been 
applied,  while  the  hand  of  the  guilty  one  covered 
his  mouth  in  mute  apology. 

From  every  direction  the  hill  folk  and  valley 
people  came  in  carts  or  wagons  of  quaint  de- 
scriptions, or  on  the  backs  of  mules  or  horses. 
Old,  middle-aged,  young,  men,  women,  children, 
and  dogs,  made  the  lonesome  roads  populous, 
and  swelled  the  throng  in  the  county  town  until 
it  made  a  new  record.  The  scant  mountain 
courtesies  were  exchanged  between  men  who 
had  for  years  been  aliens ;  and  lifelong  enemies 
met  without  scowling  into  each  other's  faces. 
The  reason  was  that,  with  the  suppression  of 
the  McCandless  family  and  the  placation  of  the 
McCalls,  much  of  the  personality  was  taken  out 
of  the  feud,  and  the  animosities  which  remained 
were  less  of  a  personal  than  of  a  hereditary  or 
traditional  nature.  The  only  marked  exception 
to  this  was  the  quarrel  between  Mike  McCall  and 
old  man  Joy,  and  even  this  was  so  burned  out 
that  only  alcohol  could  kindle  it  afresh. 

The  formal  celebration  was  to  be  held  in  the 
court-house  square,  while  the  barbecue  was  set 
in  a  grove  back  of  Major  Brett's  residence,  where 
liberal  provision  had  been  made  for  entertaining 
the  throng. 

Everything  was  in  readiness  by  ten   o'clock, 


252  DOCTOR  TOM 

when  Tom  and  the  sheriff  sought  their  rooms 
to  adorn  themselves  for  the  occasion.  As  Tom 
placed  his  Smith  &  Wesson  on  the  table,  he 
said,  "To-day  we  beat  our  swords  into  plough- 
shares, and  our  spears  into  pruning-hooks." 

"That  don't  say  nothin'  'bout  guns,  Tom. 
Guns  is  sort  o'  nater'l  to  men,  —  makes  'em  feel 
easy-like,  and  no  feller  orter  go  'thout." 

"  My  battle  to-day  will  be  won  or  lost  without 
artillery,  Cal.     I  am  on  peaceful  things  intent." 

"  If  I  was  a-goin'  ter  tackle  the  little  deputy, 
I'd  feel  better  in  my  mind  if  I  had  a  gun  for 
company,"  said  the  sheriff. 

At  eleven  o'clock  a  crowd  of  people  surrounded 
the  platform  that  served  as  a  temporary  station, 
to  watch  for  the  expected  train.  Judge  Pepper, 
Major  Brett,  the  sheriff,  and  the  coroner,  as 
befitted  county  dignitaries,  were  well  advanced 
on  the  platform  when  the  train  drew  in. 

A  beautiful  woman  stood  grasping  the  rail  of 
the  front  platform  of  the  rear  car,  ready  to 
spring  off  at  the  earliest  moment.  For  an 
instant  she  was  unrecognized ;  for  who  was 
there  to  know  that  perfectly''  developed  figure,  so 
daintily  gowned,  so  suggestive  of  all  refinement  ? 
The  uncertainty  did  not  outlast  the  instant,  for, 
with  a  bound  like  a  deer,  and  before  the  train 
had  stopped,  she  was  at  Tom's  side,  her  arms 
around  his  neck,  her  smiles  lighting  and  her 
tears  washing  his  face,  and  her  soft  voice  at  his 
ear;^. 


THE  PRICE  253 

"  Oh,  Cousin  Tom  !  I'm  shore  glad  to  see  you 
and  the  mountains  and  everybody  —  and  where's 
Ham  and  Dad  and  Maw  ?  Do  you  love  me, 
Cousin  Tom  ?  And  am  I  grown — and  isn't  this 
dress  pretty  ?  I  got  it  for  you  — and  Ruth's  such 
a  dear — and  she  lets  me  do  just  what  I  want  — 
and  I'm  half  afraid  of  Mr.  Jack,  but  he's  nice  to 
me,  and  oh,  so  handsome  ! — and  I'm  happy  and  I 
want  to  come  back." 

The  mountain  women  said,  "  That's  jes'  Sis 
Thompson,  but  my  !  ain't  she  fine  !  "  They  were 
disposed  to  resent  her  gorgeous  plumage  until 
she  broke  loose  from  Tom  and  flew  among  them 
with  her  old  impetuosity  and  carried  them  off 
their  feet ;  then  they  cut  the  last  part  of  their 
verdict  and  said,  "  It's  jes'  Sis  Thompson,  shore  !" 

Ruth  was  but  a  moment  behind  Sis,  and,  as 
soon  as  the  mountain  girl  had  flown  from  her 
cousin,  she  came  directly  toward  him.  Tom 
met  her,  took  both  her  hands  in  his,  looked  into 
her  blue  eyes,  and  said  :  — 

"  I  have  wanted  you,  Ruth,  and  I  have  waited." 

The  girl  let  her  hands  be  prisoners,  and  her 
eyes  gave  themselves  bravely  to  the  eyes  of  the 
man.  "  I,  too,  have  waited,  Tom ;  but  I  have 
come." 

The  little  Major  came  forward.  "  My  prayers 
have  been  answered.  Miss  Ruth ;  the  vision  of 
the  night  has  reappeared  in  the  sunlight.  Per- 
mit me  to  renew  my  allegiance,"  and  he  kissed 
her  hand. 


264  DOCTOR  TOM 

«  You  are  the  most  courtly  of  my  subjects,  and 
you  shall  walk  at  my  right  hand,"  and  she 
accepted  the  Major's  proffered  arm. 

Jack  and  Tom  came  together  after  the  manner 
of  old  chums,  with  little  speech  and  much  taken 
for  granted. 

"There's  my  noble  chief,"  said  Ruth,  as  she 
saw  the  sheriff  standing  bashfully  aloof,  in  spite 
of  his  vaunted  knowledge  of  «  weemin."  "  Aren't 
you  coming  to  shake  hands  with  me,  Mr.  Sheriff, 
and  tell  me  you're  glad  to  see  me  ?  " 

« I  was  jes'  a-goin'  ter  do  that,  miss.  I'm  shore 
glad  yo've  come." 

"  Am  I  your  deputy  still,  Mr.  Cal  ?  " 

"  Shore,  miss,  yo'  is  always  deputy  sheriff  of 
Brett,  —  leastways,  so  long  as  Big  Cal's  sheriff," 
and  the  great,  handsome  man  mopped  his  brow. 

"  Do  you  think  you  will  need  me  for  duty  this 
time,  Mr.  Sheriff  ?  " 

«I  'spect  so,  miss;  there's  a  man  orter  be 
'rested,  but  he's  a  friend  o'  mine  and  I  hates  ter 
do  it." 

"  What's  his  name  ?  " 

"Ain't  got  no  warrant  yet,  miss,  and  can't 
give  no  name." 

"  What's  the  crime  ?  I  hope  he's  a  desperate 
character." 

« 'Tain't  exactly  crime,  miss,  but  blanked  fool- 
ishness 'bout  weemin.  Some  deputy's  got  to 
'rest  him,  shore." 

f'  Will  you  trust  me  to  do  that,  Mr.  Sheriff  ? " 


THE  PRICE  255 

"  Yo'  bet  yo'  life !  Yo'  is  jes'  the  size,"  and 
the  sheriff  phimed  himself  upon  his  diplomacy.  • 

The  crowd  had  dispersed  from  the  platform, 
and  was  gathering  at  the  court-house.  Ruth, 
with  the  Major  and  the  sheriff,  walked  some 
distance  in  advance  of  Sis  and  the  others.  Jack, 
Tom,  and  the  Judge  accompanied  Sis,  if  leisurely 
walking  men  may  be  said  to  accompany  a 
humming-bird,  toward  the  speakers'  stand.  Sis 
was  with  them  at  intervals,  but  most  of  her  time 
was  spent  in  darting  into  the  crowd  to  seize  upon 
some  recognized  form  and  shake  it  into  new 
life  with  her  breezy  greeting.  As  the  men  came 
in  front  of  the  hotel  they  saw  old  man  Joy  leaning 
against  one  of  the  dilapidated  pillars  that  supported 
its  gallery.  They  were  exactly  opposite  the  man 
when  Mike  McCall  staggered  out  of  his  son's 
saloon.  For  months  old  Mike  had  been  exceed- 
ingly moderate,  for  him,  in  the  use  of  mountain 
whiskey,  much  to  his  own  benefit  and  the  com- 
fort of  his  friends,  and  he  had  grown  tractable 
and  fully  in  accord  with  new  methods.  Indeed, 
it  was  to  celebrate  the  advent  of  the  road  that 
he  had  taken  on  such  a  heavy  load  at  this  time. 

While  McCall  sober  was  reasonable,  McCall 
drunk  was  far  from  sane.  He  was  at  such 
times  controlled  by  the  idea  that  all  feuds  cen- 
tred in  old  man  Joy,  and  that,  so  long  as  Joy 
lived,  no  permanent  peace  could  be  attained. 
That  this  was  not  true  could  be  proven  to  the 


256  DOCTOR  TOM 

sober  man,  but  no  argument  sufficed  for  the 
drunken  one,  who  thought  he  would  be  doing  a 
public  service  if  he  rid  the  county  of  so  dangerous 
a  firebrand. 

As  the  eyes  of  the  drunken  man  fell  upon  Joy, 
his  ire  kindled  and  his  duty  lay  plain  before 
him. 

«  Yo'  damned  skunk  !  I'll  close  this  wah  right 
now,"  and,  revolver  in  hand,  he  started  to  cover  the 
twenty  paces  that  lay  between  him  and  his  enemy. 

Joy  did  not  see  his  foe  until  it  was  too  late 
for  defence  or  retreat.  Half  the  space  was  cov- 
ered and  McCall's  sure  finger  was  on  hair-trig- 
ger, when  Tom  saw  the  danger.  With  a  shout, 
"Mike!  Mike  McCall !  for  — "  he  bounded  in 
front  of  the  threatened  man. 

His  shout  was  not  finished,  though  his  journey 
was,  when  the  big  revolver  roared  its  challenge 
for  a  fresh  feud,  and  the  bullet  crashed  into  the 
chest  of  the  man  who  had  quenched  the  old  one. 

"You  didn't  mean  that,  Mike.  You  didn't 
mean  it ! "  said  Tom,  as  he  leaned  heavily 
against  the  broad  shoulders  of  Jack. 

"  I  didn't  mean  it,  Tom  Hendricks,  yo'  know 
damned  well  I  didn't  go  ter  do  that !  I  wanted 
to  stop  the  wah,  Tom,  but,  'fore  Gawd,  I  mean 
this  ! "  and  on  the  instant  the  revolver  exploded 
in  his  mouth. 

It  was  all  so  quickly  over  that  no  one  was 
near  enough  to  prevent  McCall's  final  act ;  but 
now  a  crowd  surrounded   the    dead  and    the 


THE  PRICE  257 

wounded  man.  Through  the  crowd,  like  a 
strong  boat  through  water,  came  the  big 
sheriff. 

«  Tom  !  Tom  !  !  Tom  !  !  !  "  and  he  took  him  in 
his  great  arms  and,  with  the  tenderness  of  a 
mother,  bore  him  across  the  street  and  up  the 
narrow  stairs  to  the  rooms  they  had  loved  so 
well.  Cal  carried  him  to  the  front  room  and 
laid  him  on  the  broad  couch  that  had  been  his 
favorite  resting  and  dreaming  place.  The  win- 
dows were  opened  toward  the  court-house,  and 
the  sound  of  the  shocked  multitude,  as,  with 
muffled  voices,  it  spoke  the  direful  tragedy,  came 
easily  into  the  room. 

At  Tom's  request  the  foot  of  the  couch  was 
brought  to  the  window-ledge,  and  the  head  was 
raised  so  that  he  could  see,  over  against  the 
court-house,  the  people  for  whom  he  cared  so 
much.  The  couch  was  hardly  in  place  before 
Ruth,  followed  by  the  Major,  came  rapidly  into 
the  room.  Her  face  had  lost  every  trace  of  its 
faint  color,  excepting  that  at  the  lips,  but  her 
eyes  were  clear  and  brave.  She  did  not  hesitate, 
but  crossed  at  once  to  the  right  side  of  Tom's 
couch,  fell  upon  her  knees,  put  her  left  arm 
under  his  neck,  and,  with  her  lips  almost  touch- 
ing his  cheek,  said,  "Now,  Tom,  you  must  tell 
me  all." 

Tom's  right  arm  found  its  way  around  the 
girl's  neck,  and  he  drew  her  head  still  closer. 
"  It  began,  dear,  the  day  I  first  saw  you,  and  it 


258  DOCTOR  TOM 

has  increased  every  minute.  I've  tried  to  get 
ready  for  you,  Ruth,  but  I  haven't  done  very 
well." 

"  Oh,  Tom,  Tom !  you  were  always  ready  for 
the  best  woman  in  the  world.  What  have  I  done, 
—  what  has  any  one  done,  —  to  match  you  ?  " 

"  Can  you  love  me  ?     Do  you  love  me,  Ruth  ?  " 

« You  have  had  my  heart  and  my  soul  for  a 
year,  Tom,"  and  the  girl  kissed  his  eyes  and  his 
cheeks  and  his  lips,  and  a  color  came  into  her' 
cheeks  which  did  not  fade  when  Jack  came  in ; 
or,  indeed,  for  long  years  after. 

«  Keep  your  grip,  Tom.  I've  wired  a  special 
to  bring  down  Adams  and  Hazeltine.  They'll 
be  here  in  less  than  four  hours." 

"  I  knew  you'd  do  something  of  that  sort,  old 
reliable,  but  you  had  best  countermand  the 
order ;  I'm  due  in  Andromeda  two  hours 
earlier." 

"What,  Tom?" 

"Yes,  Jack,  I'm  too  good  a  surgeon  not  to 
know  my  limit  to  within  a  few  minutes.  But  I 
wouldn't  change  these  two  hours  for  all  the  years 
that  have  gone  before.  I  shall  not  be  able  to 
talk  much.  Jack,  but  you  know  how  we  stand. 
I'm  going  to  ask  Ruth  to  marry  me.  Jack,  for  I 
want  to  be  your  brother,  but  not  a  hundredth 
part  as  much  as  I  want  to  be  Ruth's  husband." 

«  Will  you,  Tom  ?  Oh,  will  you  ?  I'm  so 
glad  !     I  feared  you  wouldn't  think  of  that." 

« I  haven't  thought  of  much  else  for  the  past 


THE  PRICE  269 

year,"  said  Tom.     Ruth's  lips  were  close  to  his 

ear  when  they  said  :  — 

"  I  know  some  one  who  has  been  very  happy 
for  a  whole  year  because  you  were  thinking  of 
that ! " 

"Cal,  you  must  go  out  now.  You  and  the 
Major  must  keep  the  people  steady.  If  they 
get  nervous,  they're  liable  to  go  wrong." 

The  sheriff  had  been  kneeling  by  the  side  of 
the  couch  opposite  Ruth,  from  the  time  he  laid 
Tom  on  it.  His  face  was  harrowed  almost 
beyond  recognition  and  drenched  by  a  continuous 
flow  of  tears  that  fell  unheeded.  « All  right, 
Tom,  but  yo'  is  happy  now,  ain't  yo'  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Cal,  perfectly  happy." 

"  Yo'  won't  go  'thout  me  bein'  here,  will  you, 
Tom  ?  " 

"  No,  Cal." 

The  sheriff  went,  but  the  room  was  still  filled 
with  those  whose  hearts  were  more  than  half 
breaking.  Aunt  Hat  sat  in  a  corner,  with  Uncle 
Jeff  standing  near,  and  rocked  her  grief-stricken 
body  as  she  wailed,  "  He  was  Sister  Sue's  only 
boyi^  Jeff." 

«  Shore." 

« Such  a  helpin'  sort  and  never  in  the  way, 
Jeff." 

«  Shore,  Hat,  shore." 

«  Always  thinkin'  'bout  somebody,  Jeff." 

«  Don't,  Hat,  don't !  What's  we-uns  goin'  ter 
do?" 


260  DOCTOR  TOM 

Through  the  open  window  came  the  steady 
voice  of  Major  Brett  as  he  spoke  to  the  people. 
"  He  resided  at  the  county-seat  for  eighteen 
months,  but  the  influence  of  that  residence  will 
not  be  lost  in  eighteen  centuries  if  we  hold  true 
to  the  example  set  by  this  modest,  gallant  gentle- 
man." 

"That's  you  now,  Tom,  but  it  w411  be  my 
husband  in  a  few  minutes,"  said  Ruth  in  the  ear 
of  her  lover. 

"  I  do  not  exaggerate  the  importance  of  his 
example  when  I  assert  that  it  is  the  most  valu- 
able asset  of  the  county.  Reforms  usually  come 
slowly,  but  this  reformer  saw  seed  of  his  own 
sowing  come  to  maturity  and  produce  a  hundred 
fold  in  the  brief  space  of  eighteen  months.  If 
the  precious  life  of  our  valued  friend  is  sacrificed 
in  this  last,  and,  may  I  hope,  effectual  effort  to 
quell  the  vendetta,  it  is  only  a  consistent  end  ; 
for  at  no  period  of  his  residence  among  us  would 
he  have  hesitated,  had  the  alternative  been 
presented.  Speech  is  futile  and  words  are  in- 
adequate, but  I  would  that  my  voice  and  my 
words  could  reach  the  ears  of  every  resident  of 
Brett,  that  each  might  hear  me  lament  my 
grievous  personal  loss.  I  love  him  as  a  son,  I 
look  up  to  him  as  a  mentor,  and  I  see  in  him 
the  safest  pattern  these  eyes  have  ever  beheld. 
I  cannot  talk  to-day ;  at  my  best  I  could  do  no 
justice  to  the  subject  with  Doctor  Tom  Hen- 
dricks in  deadly  peril.     I  can  only  show  you  the 


THE  PRICE  261 

heart  of  a  stricken  man,  and  ask  you  to  stand 
with  me  in  constant  loyalty  to  the  example  and 
the  memory  of  the  noblest  man  these  mountains 
have  ever  known." 

"  Do  you  hear,  Tom  ?  Do  you  hear  what  the 
dear  old  Major  is  saying  ?  But  he  doesn't  say 
half  the  truth." 

"  I  will  suggest,"  continued  the  Major,  "  that 
as  a  fitting,  though  trifling,  tribute  to  Doctor 
Tom  Hendricks,  we  declare  in  convention  here 
and  now  that  the  said  Doctor  Tom  Hendricks  is 
now,  and  forever  shall  be.  Coroner  of  Brett,  and 
that  succeeding  deputy  coroners  shall,  for  all 
time,  sign  him  such  on  all  official  papers.  If 
there  is  no  objection,  I  will  call  for  a  vote." 

Then  came  the  roar  of  the  sheriff's  great  voice : 
« Object  ?  Object  ?  I'll  shoot  the  stars  outer 
the  skies  if  they  object !  " 

« I  call  for  a  vote  which  shall  bind  you  and 
your  children  to  the  uttermost  generation.  Let 
our  friend  hear  our  voices  !  " 

When  the  great  shout  had  passed,  Tom  said, 
«  The  people  are  safe ;  Cal  and  the  Major  may 
leave  them,"  and,  in  Ruth's  ear,  « Will  you 
marry  me,  dear  ?  " 

"  You  have  had  ray  heart  for  a  year,  Tom. 
You  could  have  had  me  at  any  time,  for  a  week's 
asking ;  but  I  am  glad  you  did  not  ask.  It  was 
such  a  joy  to  know  that  you  loved  me  (I  did 
know  it  all  the  time,  Tom),  and  that  you  were 
trying   to    get   ready    for   me.      That  was   the 


262  DOCTOR  TOM 

unnatural  part,  dear ;  but  it  was  infinite  happi- 
ness to  know  tliat  such  a  man  was  trying,  day 
and  night,  to  get  ready  for  me.  Oh,  but  I  was 
proud,  Tom !  I  have  said  and  done  all,  and 
more,  than  a  modest  girl  should  say  and  do  to 
show  my  love,  for  I  was  doubly  secure ;  I  knew 
your  love  and  your  blindness,  too,  and  I 
took  advantage  of  both  while  I  walked  in 
safety." 

Cora  Brett  came  slowly  into  the  room  with 
the  face  of  a  ghost  and  eyes  like  one  who  walks 
in  sleep.  Seeing  only  the  wounded  man,  she 
walked  steadily  to  his  couch  and  fell  on  her 
knees  opposite  Ruth.  Regardless  of  her,  as  of 
all  others,  she  clasped  the  face  of  her  friend  with 
both  palms,  drew  it  toward  her,  and  repeatedly 
kissed  the  brow  and  cheeks.  Then,  still  holding 
the  man's  face,  she  drew  her  head  back  so  that 
she  could  look  full  into  his  eyes,  and  with 
deliberate  voice  said  :  — 

"  Tom,  dear,  I  thank  you  !  Oh,  I  thank  you  I  " 
and  again  she  kissed  him.  As  she  arose  from 
her  knees,  her  eyes  comprehended  Ruth  and  the 
situation.  A  spasm  of  conflicting  emotions 
swept  her  ghostlike  face,  and  her  lips  formed 
words  which  her  throat  failed  to  utter,  until  a 
voice,  strange  to  all,  and  foreign  to  her,  said, 
«  He  was  too  good  for — he  was  too  good  for  any 
woman,"  and  the  girl  went  swiftly  home,  there 
to  wash  her  heart  with  her  tears. 

«  Uncle  Jeff,  will  you  find  Jake  ?     I  want  to 


THE  PRICE  263 

speak  to  him,"  said  Tom,  when  Cora  had 
gone. 

«  She  loved  you,  Tom ;  but  how  could  she  help 
it  ?  "  said  Ruth. 

« I'm  sorry,  Ruth ;  but  some  day  she'll  be 
happy."  Turning  his  eyes  toward  his  old  chum, 
Tom  said  :  «  The  Judge  is  long  in  coming,  Jack, 
and  I'm  so  impatient  to  be  Ruth's  husband  that 
I'm  envious  of  every  minute  !  " 

« It  will  be  forever,  Tom,  but  I,  too,  am  hun- 
gry for  it  to  begin,"  said  Ruth,  with  loving  eyes 
shining  into  his. 

Jake  came,  and  Tom  drew  him  close  while  he 
whispered  of  Cora  and  planned  a  campaign  for 
her  capture.  Jake's  great  eyes  flashed,  and  then 
softened  and  filled  as  he  gripped  the  hand  of  his 
cousin,  with  a  world  of  loyal  affection.  "You 
must  not  be  discouraged  by  check  or  repulse ; 
conduct  a  regular  siege  for  months,  and  then 
carry  her  by  storm.     Will  you  do  it,  Jake  ?  " 

"Will  I  do  it,  Tom?  Will  I?  Well,  I'll 
be  — "  but  the  rest  was  lost  in  the  confusion 
that  attended  the  entrance  of  the  Judge,  the 
Major,  and  the  sheriff. 

Sis  was  brought  from  the  back  room,  where 
she  had  been  convulsively  weeping  into  Tom's 
pillows.  She  was  in  such  a  tempest  of  grief 
that  she  did  not  trust  her  voice  or  even  her  eyes, 
and  she  sank  abjectly  into  a  chair  near  the  head 
of  the  couch,  but  out  of  the  sight  of  the  occupant. 
Jack  was  the  first  to  speak. 


264  DOCTOR  TOM 

"Judge  Pepper,  I  wish  you  to  unite  my  chum 
and  my  sister  in  marriage.  Is  there  any  legal 
reason  why  it  cannot  be  done  at  once  ?  " 

"  Not  the  least,  sir.  It  will  give  me  great  pleas- 
ure to  perform  the  ceremony  on  the  instant." 

Ruth  was  still  kneeling  at  Tom's  side.  She 
put  her  right  hand  into  his  and  he  eagerly  clasped 
it. 

«  Do  you,  Tom  Hendricks,  and  you,  Ruth  Ray- 
mond, agree  to  be  husband  and  wife  to  each 
other,  in  full  understanding  of  the  obligations 
and  limitations  which  the  contract  imposes  ?  " 

«  We  do,  in  all  loyal  constancy." 

"  By  the  authority  of  my  office,  and  in  the 
presence  of  these  witnesses,  I  pronounce  you  hus- 
band and  wife ;  and  I  would  I  could  do  more," 
added  the  Judge,  in  a  broken  voice. 

"  You've  built  a  new  heaven !  "  said  Tom,  as  he 
drew  Ruth's  face  hard  down  against  his  own. 

« It's  only  making  a  new  brother  out  of  an  old 
one,  Tom,"  said  Jack. 

«  Yes,  Jack,  but  it  makes  a  beautiful  new  life 
for  me." 

"  Tom,  dear,  you  mustn't  talk  much ;  let  us  do 
that  for  you.  You  have  a  wife  now,  sir,  whose 
pleasure  it  is  to  watch  over  you." 

« My  dream  of  utmost  happiness  has  come 
true,  Ruth.  I  ask  no  more,  and  I'll  be  obedient 
to  my  wife,"  and  again  he  made  her  face  close 
neighbor  to  his  own. 

"  My  dear  suh,"  said  the  Major,  « this  accident, 


THE  PRICE  265 

—  permit  me  to  correct  the  expression,  suh, — 
this  sacrifice,  has  changed  the  current  of  life  so 
that  it  now  runs  backward.     It  seemed  probable, 

—  indeed,  almost  certain,  suh,  —  that  you  would 
survive  me  for  a  considerable  period,  during 
which  your  unusual  abilities  and  your  remark- 
able force  of  character  would  be  productive  of 
the  greatest  good  to  our  people.  That  this  desir- 
able outlook  should  be  obliterated,  or  even  put  to 
peril,  suh,  is  a  prospect  which  I  cannot  entertain 
without  feelings  of  the  greatest  resentment  at 
the  seeming  unfitness  of  things.  I  find  no  words 
adequate,  suh,  but  if  you  will  permit  me  to  have 
recourse,  IHg  hrevis  viviter,  hie  hrevis,  —  oh, 
damme,  Tom,  the  classics  are  no  comfort  to-day  ! 
We  want  you ! "  And  the  game  old  man,  who 
could  look  into  the  muzzle  of  a  gun  without 
blinking,  turned  his  brave  eyes  to  the  wall  to 
hide  their  weakness. 

Sis  could  stand  the  tension  no  longer ;  she 
flung  herself  to  the  floor  beside  the  couch,  which 
shook  with  the  tempest  of  her  grief,  and  tried  to 
pour  forth  her  heart  in  speech  to  her  cousin. 
Sobs  came  faster  than  words,  but  little  sentences 
flew  from  the  face  that  was  half  smothered  in 
the  couch.  «It  was  all  for  you.  Cousin  Tom, 
most  all !  What's  the  good  of  anything  now  ? 
Oh,  Tom,  don't  leave  we-all.  I  wish  I  could 
die  !     Oh,  I  wish  I  could  die  ! " 

Tom's  hand  was  on  the  brown  head,  and  his 
voice  was  low,  but  it  went  to  the  loyal  heart  of 


266  DOCTOR  TOM 

the  girl.  "  I  want  you  to  do  something  for  me 
first,  Sis.     Something  that  I  can't  do." 

« I'll  do  it,  Tom  ;  what  is  it  ?  "  said  the  plucky 
girl. 

« I  want  you  to  take  care  of  Jack  and  make 
this  trouble  lighter  for  him.  You  can  do  it.  Sis. 
Will  you  try  ?  " 

"Yes,  Tom,  I'll  do  anything,"  and  the  sobs 
came  at  longer  intervals,  until  she  raised  her 
tear-worn  face  and  laid  her  hand  on  her  cousin's 
head.  "You  changed  the  world  for  we-uns, 
Tom,  all  for  good ;  and  you  got  done  to  death 
for  pay !  Don't  think  there  isn't  something 
coming  to  you,  Tom,  for  all  that  hope  and 
memory  and  love  can  bring  are  always  yours ; 
and  I'd  take  off  my  shoes  and  walk  in  fire  a 
hundred  years,  if  you'd  live  while  I  walked ! " 

"  Yes,  Sis,  I  know  you  would.  Kiss  me,  dear, 
and  always  remember  that  I  loved  my  beautiful 
mountain  cousin.  Ruth,  dear,  will  you  call  the 
sheriff  ?  I've  something  to  say  to  him  and  I'm 
not  quite  strong." 

The  sheriff  threw  his  great  form  on  the  floor 
beside  the  couch,  and  held  fast  grip  to  Tom's 
hand  for  hours  after  there  was  no  response. 
"  Oh,  Tom,  can't  yo'  take  me  with  yo'  ?  I  won't 
worrit  yo',  and  I  can't  do  nothin'  'thout  yo',  yo' 
dear  little  cuss  I " 

"You'll  come  to  me  sometime,  Cal,  for  our 
souls  are  brothers,  but  you  must  stay  here  and 
finish  the  work.     It  won't  be  hard,  for  you  love 


THE  PRICE  267 

to  live  right,  and  that's  all  there  is  to  it.  I've 
fixed  things  so  that  you'll  not  have  to  bother 
about  money,  and  you  can  give  all  your  time  to 
the  people.  Teach  them  to  live  clean,  Cal,  and 
don't  let  them  run  into  feuds  ;  that's  all.  You'll 
be  lonesome,  old  man,  and  I  want  you  to  be  so, 
but  Ham'U  understand,  and  he'll  comfort  you." 

"  But  he  can't,  Tom  !  He  can't !  Who'll  tell 
Big  Cal  what  ter  do  ?  Who'll  tumble  him  outer 
bed  to  wrestle  him,  or  pound  his  head  off  with 
the  gloves  ?  Who'll  whistle  and  swim  and  do 
everythin'  that  jes'  fits  old  Cal  ?  Take  me  with 
yo',  Tom,  fer  I  can't  think  things  out  'thout  yo' ! 
Yo'  know  I  can't,  Tom  !  " 

«If  you're  in  trouble,  Cal,  go  to  the  little 
deputy ;  she'll  set  you  right.  You  must  be  big 
brother  to  my  wife,  as  you've  been  big  brother 
to  me ;  and  sometime,  somewhere,  we'll  know 
the  meaning  of  soul-fellowship."  The  voice  was 
growing  faint,  and  the  words  fell  apart. 

"  Not  another  word,  Tom,  not  even  <  I  love 
you,'  for  I  know  ;  but  let  me  talk.  I  have  fields 
of  love  that  you  have  never  seen.  I  am  your 
wife,  Tom  ;  I  am  your  wife.  It  will  never  be  in 
the  past  tense,  even  though  you  are  away,  for  it 
is  but  a  little  time,  and  time  is  the  servant  of 
those  who  are  assured.  I  saw  you  first  in  the 
hickory  fire  on  my  hearth ;  I  saw  you  in  life  a 
little  later,  and  you  have  lived  in  my  heart  every 
hour  since.  I  knew  that  you  loved  me,  Tom, 
before   you   knew    it  —  a   woman   is   quick   of 


268  DOCTOR  TOM 

apprehension  in  such  matters,  —  and  it  made 
my  life  a  blissful  dream  !  I  could  wait  in  that 
ecstasy  until  you  found  yourself,  without  impa- 
tience ;  but  so  soon  as  you  told  your  love,  I  must 
needs  marry  you  out  of  hand.  I  was  impatient 
of  every  little  moment.  It's  a  thing  of  such  joy, 
Tom,  a  state  so  to  be  desired,  that,  until  it  was 
secured,  I  was  envious  of  every  breath  and  jeal- 
ous of  every  heart-beat  which  was  not  my  very 
own  !  The  youngest  fragment  of  time  aged  and 
grew  infirm  before  it  could  pass,  and  each  tiny 
mote  that  danced  in  the  sunbeams  between  us 
was  clad  in  thick  armor  to  hold  us  apart ;  but  I 
am  safe  now,  and  at  rest." 

Poor  Ruth's  trembling  lips  gave  faint  support 
to  her  words,  and  she  would  not  let  Tom  see 
them,  but  held  his  eyes  with  her  own  brave 
ones.  A  deadly  pallor  was  on  Tom's  face,  his 
nostrils  grew  pinched,  and  his  breath  came  short 
and  faint.  The  girl  steadied  herself  with  heroic 
courage. 

"  Tom,  dear,  while  you're  away,  I  will  live  for 
you  as  if  you  were  here,  for  none  can  tell  how 
soon  you  will  send  for  me,  and  I  must  always 
be  ready.  I  will  live  for  you  by  day  and  hold 
you  in  my  dreams  by  night.  You  will  not  find 
me  unprepared,  no  matter  when  you  send ;  for  I 
know  what  a  wife  should  be,  and  what  this  wife 
loves  to  be.  If  you  wait  long,  dear,  there  is 
danger  that  I  will  come  before  your  message 
reaches  me,  for  I  shall  be  in  daily  peril  from  my 


THE  PRICE  269 

pride.  How  can  I  hear  the  things  which  I  shall 
hear  and  keep  my  heart  from  bursting  ?  You 
cannot  understand  this,  Tom,  but  a  woman  can. 
They  will  call  me  '  Mrs.  Hendricks,'  '  Mrs.  Tom 
Hendricks,  the  wife  of  the  Coroner  of  Brett ' ; 
and  some  day  my  heart  will  burst  with  pride, 
and  my  soul  will  be  one  with  your  soul,  Tom,  in 
far  Andromeda." 

The  dreamy  eyes  held  brave,  but  the  words 
came  wide  apart :  — 

«  Wait, — Ruth, — while — I  safe — the — trail." 


EPILOGUE 

Twice  had  the  Autumn  sun  returned  to  the 
mountains  with  increasing  willingness  to  linger 
over  broadening  fields  and  ripening  people.  The 
haze  of  an  October  afternoon  mellowed  the  light 
that  gilded  a  great  block  of  southern  marble  in 
the  hillside  graveyard.  A  woman,  willowy  and 
beautiful,  stood  by  the  marble,  touching  and 
gently  stroking  its  polished  surface.  Her  figure 
was  girlish,  but  she  carried  it  with  the  conscious 
pride  of  high  purpose,  and  her  face  showed  the 
placid  happiness  of  one  who  is  assured.  In  high 
relief,  on  the  broad  surface  of  the  marble  which 
faced  the  sky,  was  engraved  :  — 

DOCTOR  TOM   HENDRICKS 

Coroner  of  Brett 

**  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart  '* 

Standing  opposite  the  lady  in  red-brown  was 
a  tall,  dark,  graceful  woman,  whose  face  and 
form  had  redeemed  every  early  promise,  and 
whose  brown  eyes  glowed  with  love-light  when 
they  touched  the  big  blond  man  beside  her. 

"  He  was  an  angel.  Jack,  —  a  ministering 
angel,  —  but  he  did  not  know  it." 

270 


EPILOGUE  271 

"  Yes,  Sis,  and  '  we  are  the  works  of  his  hands.' 
Ruth,  dear,  there  is  a  promise  of  glorious  reward 
which  goes  with  that  beatitude ;  why  do  you 
omit  it  ?  " 

The  blue  eyes  were  dark  with  love  and  pride, 
as  Ruth  turned  toward  her  brother :  — 

« Did  he  ever  think  of  that.  Jack  ?  He  did 
the  thing  that  was  '  next '  him,  you  know,  — 
it  was  his  habit." 


^c. 


^     000  131849 


